You and I were meant to be
by pleione-x
Summary: Voldemort was defeated during the first war. James, Lily and Sirius survived the war. And during Sirius's birthday party, Remus Lupin meets Nymphadora Tonks and sometimes, some people are just meant to fall in love with each other.
1. Flirtatious tone and alcohol

_Sirius, James, Lily are alive. Dumbledore found out for the horcruxes during the first war and they defeated Voldemort. They are all alive. (cool world, uh?) So this is Sirius's birthday party at James and Lily's backyard because they have a backyard. It takes places in 1995._

* * *

Remus knocked on the door and waited. A woman with ginger hair opened the door with a wide smile on her face.

"Hey Remus! Come in!"

"Hello, Lily. How are you?"

"Fine, Harry got home from school just two days ago! I'm afraid he didn't get much of my DNA he looks just like James."

"Are you joking, he has your eyes and that's quite a lot already."

"Yeah yea, everyone says that." Lily said waving airly.

"Happy Birthday Sirius!" Remus said happily when he got sight of his friend.

"Thank you Moony!" Remus handed him a brown package.

"You didn't have to, really." Sirius said, and he seemed to feel a bit guilty. James and Sirius both knew that he had a little struggle with money.

"It's not much." Remus said. Sirius opened the package; it was a book about the funniest spells and charms. With years, Sirius hadn't change much.

"Thank you, mate! Come on, join in the party."

"Remus after the pain Sirius had been for you last week when he had broken his foot, you still got him a present!" Said Mary looking tenderly at Sirius. They had got engaged just a few weeks before so this party was a bit of their engagement party too. They had met three years ago and two years ago they found a flat to live together. Mary was a very kind woman, she had light brown hair and blue eyes. She was his opposite but she liked his funny side. Remus talked lightly with them and crossed Harry's path.

"Hello, professor Lupin." Harry greeted him.

"Oh Hello, Harry. You had a good year in Hogwarts?"

"Yes! Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup!"

"I'm very proud of you. Don't tell your dad I said that but I do think inherited his talent."

"I won't. His ego is big enough!" Harry said laughing and he joined his friends.

Remus walked to help himself with a drink. There was a table in the corner of the backyard with glasses and bottles. He poured himself a fresh butterbeer when someone pushed him.

"Oh Merlin, I'm sorry."

"It's nothing. It's my fault, I wasn't looking either." Remus answered to the young pink haired woman. She had short spiky pink hair, and dark eyes and a nice light skin.

"Well, I won't blame you for not expecting a girl to knock herself on you while you poured your drink. I'm sorry I made you spill everything, didn't I?" Remus glanced at her; she was wearing a short dark blue tube skirt, following her curves and a big light grey shirt with a drawing on it but Remus didn't want to seem rude and didn't try to see what it was. And she had black boots.

"Not everything; half of it maybe." Remus said teasingly. The young girl laughed; he very heartily laughter not very lady like but which Remus found absolutely charming.

"Don't make fun of me!" The young girl said laughing lightly.

"I'm not." Remus answered. "But I don't think we've been introduced already."

"I'm Tonks, just Tonks." Remus smiled. He had heard a bit of her, she was Sirius's cousin.

"Alright, _Tonks._ I'm Remus, Remus Lupin. And why don't I get the right to know your name?"

"Because it's hideous!"

"You know mine."

"Yours is fine." She said rolling her eyes.

"You know…" Remus said, looking away. "If I ask Sirius he'll tell me."

"You'd take all the fun away." Tonks said smiling. She had a nice smile.

"Maybe you're right." Remus admitted.

"I trust you not to ask my name to _anyone_." The young girl said pouring herself a drink too.

"I'll try my best." Remus answered and she walked away, looking back at him with a mischievous smile.

Remus talked a bit with Sirius, James and Lily and other friends. Remus couldn't help but glance at the young woman he had just met. She was something. And she was very lovely. Sometimes he caught her looking at him too – they'd smile sheepishly like two kids who got caught.

"Everyone! Let's sit and eat the marvellous meal my wife prepared." James shouted.

* * *

Remus found himself a seat and looked at the people talking asking one another where they were going to sit. He didn't sit next with James and Sirius because they had a common friend with them today that Remus didn't know, one of Lily's colleague.

"Mr Lupin, do you mind if I sit next to you?" A voice said behind him, it was Tonks. The young girl he had talked with.

"Not at all, Miss Tonks. Please sit here." He said pointing to the chair next to him.

"So, Remus, were you going to sit here alone?"

"Well, I obviously thought someone would sit next to me eventually, I don't think I'm smelling that bad."

The young girl leaned closer and sniffed. Remus would have laughed if she didn't smell so good. She smelled of raspberries and fresh flowers. He eventually chuckled when she said:

"No, no you don't stink. You actually smell like books and fresh like in the middle of the woods and a bit of chocolate too."

"That's because I have some chocolate on me." Remus said with a little smile.

"You do? Why?" She asked surprised.

"I always have some on me, just in case."

"I'll remember to stay close to you in case I'm in the need of chocolate." Tonks answered smiling.

"You'll only have some if you tell me your name."

"I'm not gonna tell you my name."

"At some point, you will." Remus said confidently and he took a sip of his butterbeer.

"So, you're one of Sirius's best friends, right?"

"Yes. I'm surprised I haven't seen you before, by the way."

"That's because I was on Auror training, I was really busy."

"So you're an Auror."

"Yes!"

"Who was your trainer?"

"Alastor Moody, do you know him?"

"Yes, I do. He's an old friend of mine. He wasn't too harsh on you, I hope?"

"You think I'm not tough enough?" Tonks asked and raised an eyebrow.

"No, that's not what I mean, not at all. It is just that Mad-Eye may have been quite authoritative / paranoid with me back in the time."

"He still is! I'd add /easily annoyed."

"And you, what are you doing?"

"I'm working in a library."

"Cool job."

"Not as cool as Auror."

"No, if that's what you like it's got to be cool. That's the only thing that matters, right?"

"Indeed, it is."

They talked a lot during the lunch about everything and anything. Remus noticed that Tonks had the most beautiful smile he's ever seen and he felt proud every time he made her smile. The young woman was looking at him very kindly and he was glad she had decided to sit next to him.

* * *

When she knocked a glass over on the table and blushed as she saw some old women looking at him her hair turned redish – which get her hair to turn even redder.

"Are you a metamorphmagus?" Remus asked, trying to sound very polite.

"Yes, I am. I'm impressed. Not a lot of people actually know that we exist."

"That's very rare, if I remember well." Remus said.

"I think so, I never met one. Do you want to see my hair look purple?"

"Why not. I'm quite fond of the pink; it's a very nice colour. But I am sure that every colour suits you." Remus said kindly.

"You don't need to be polite, Remus. A lot of people would prefer my hair to be brown or blonde or, you know, a normal colour." She leaned closer and whispered "Look at all the old women who looked at me in a weird way when they saw my hair turn red."

"Who cares about what the other people want you to look like." Remus said and laughed, trying to show her that she shouldn't give a damn about all of this.

"You're right. I learned not to care with time." Tonks said quite seriously. "When I was in Hogwarts, after the "It's so cool" period of time I had the right to "you, freak!" and then when boys noticed they could have an interest: "Could you be taller? Thinner?" and trust me one dared asked "could you have bigger boobs?" but now that I'm adult, if someone doesn't accept it I just give up and don't even try."

"Kids are stupid. You look lovely with pink hair." Remus said and then realized that he had just complimented her.

"Thanks. That's the only thing I morph now, my hair. Except for missions, but it's not my personal life."

Remus smiled at her. He liked her and he wished she knew – that she _really_ knew – she was beautiful. He liked how she liked her job and what it meant for her.

While they were waiting for the next course they were both listening to two men – from Mary's family – speaking of how it's normal not to mix all kind of people. Remus's body tensed. He knew what he was talking about, people like him.

"I mean, you never know if they're the good type or not." One of the men said. He was quite big, black haired and with a beard. He was the kind of man not very elegant and who always thought he had the right to give his opinion on everything.

"If there's a good type; never met one! Centaurs, werewolves, goblins, they're all the same. But goblins are useful at least. But they're not human, you can't trust them."

"If you'll excuse me." Remus whispered to Tonks.

Remus couldn't bear to hear more, so he got up and walked across the backyard into the house. She seemed to have noticed that something bothered him because after several minutes she entered the house. Remus was sitting on the first step's stairs, his elbows resting on his knees hiding his face in his hands.

"Hey stranger. I always find you on your own." She said kindly and she seemed a bit nervous of his reaction.

"Sorry." He said getting a look at her. "Want to sit here?" He asked a bit unsure.

"Why not." She said and he made room for her. She didn't say anything but she seemed to be waiting for him to speak. They hadn't met very long ago but she seemed to want to understand him and he didn't mind for once. He didn't exactly know why but he didn't mind and he felt the same.

"I need to tell you something." Remus said. Tonks looked at him quizzically.

"I'm… I'm a werewolf. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, I just enjoyed your company and I didn't want you to run away, not.. not yet."

"It's alright." She said quietly. "You may be a werewolf, but from what I know, you're a good man, you're Sirius's friend you can't be too bad, uh?"

"You're not scared, or disgusted?" He asked slightly surprised.

"No, of course not. I don't judge people on their DNA." She said and she gave him a light nudge in the ribs playfully.

"Maybe you're the one who's wrong." He said not looking at her.

"You shouldn't feed prejudices; I've heard a lot about from Sirius – when he was younger he kept talking about you and James; no offense now he speaks mostly about Mary – you're not a monster; you're not a beast. And you're way smarter than that man."

"Thank you." Remus said with a half-hearted chuckle.

"Come on, take a piece of your hidden chocolate and let's go back to the party." She said joyfully. Remus laughed this time. Merlin, she was good. "Ha! I made you laugh!" She said and applauded to herself.

Remus took his chocolate bar and broke a piece for her and for him.

"You know that the next course is still salty?"

"Let's be adventurous." Remus said faking seriousness.

"Come on, my companion of adventure." She said as she got up. She reached out her hand for him to help him getting up. "I'll try to keep your mind out of their conversations."

"Sounds interesting." Remus said on a flirtatious tone and got her to blush, her hair even turning a bit redish. "Nice colour." He said and he lifted his arm about to take a lock of her hair in his fingers but he thought that he shouldn't and he let his arm fall down on his side. He wondered whether it was because he craved to see her disappointed but he was sure she had notice deception in her eyes when he retracted his arm.

"You think if I change my hair in front of him he'll think I'm a freak?" Tonks asked amused but Remus could have sworn that he felt like a mad angry wolf.

"Let him say so and it'll be my pleasure to gently take him to the door." He said clenching his fists so hard he felt his nails in the palm of his hands.

"He wouldn't be the first to say so." She said a bit resigned. Remus felt his anger growing inside of him. He wished he could have been there for her at the time.

"It doesn't mean they're right." He said trying to hide his anger but knew he had failed when he saw her look at him so tenderly. She surprised him by pulling him in an embrace.

"You and I both know how it is. If you think people shouldn't tell me I'm a freak why would you accept people saying the same about you?" She asked. She released him and said with a smile "Come on." She said and they walked outside again, back to their sits.

* * *

Remus and Tonks kept talking and talking about anything and everything. The first course came and Remus looked at one of the woman who complained about to food being served – she was apparently one of Mary's aunt and Sirius and she had warned James, Lily, Remus and some other friends that she was very annoying. She was a big woman, blonde haired, with a woman moustache and way too much make up. She must have been in her fifties and she was wearing a garish green shirt with a skirt of the same colour.

"Mr Lupin, this is very mean of you." Tonks whispered in his ear.

"I thought that if they were only internal thoughts it couldn't be mean."

"But I saw that little mischievous smile of yours." Tonks whispered.

"I apologize, Miss Tonks. But I'd like to tell you that if you noticed that I was looking at this woman it's only because you _were_."

"Or only because I was looking at you." She said trying to sound confident but Remus noticed in her eyes that she wasn't so much. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear:

"In that case, Miss Tonks, this is very unfair."

"And why that?"

"Because that not very flattering looking woman disturbed me from looking at the very lovely woman sitting next to me."

"Are you flirting with me, Remus?" Tonks asked fighting her smile to widen.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all." She answered and then took a sip of her drink.

Later, when the sun started to go down James put some music and asked Lily to dance. Sirius and Mary joined them and so did other couples. Remus took his chanced and asked Tonks:

"Would you like to dance?"

"Oh, I'd love too. But watch your feet, I'm dead clumsy."

"I'll take the risk if you don't mind."

"I don't." Tonks answered almost shyly.

They were outside, surrounding by other people dancing, and lights levitating around. The first songs where pop songs and they had fun; he made her twirls and catch her every time she'd trip on her own feet. After several songs, Remus held her hand and had his other hand on her waist. She was close to him, her other hand on his shoulder.

"So now, would you please do me the favour of telling me your name?"

"You won't repeat?" She asked quietly.

"I won't."

"You won't laugh, either?"

"I won't." Remus said chuckling and he waited for her to finally say it.

"Nymphadora. My name's Nymphadora. And I don't want you to call me by my full name." She said quietly.

"That's a lovely name."

"Lovely, are you kidding me?"

"No, it's a lovely name." Remus repeated and she just shook her head. Then, she rested her head on his shoulder, in his neck. Remus stroked her fingers lightly and she didn't seem to mind. The songs kept playing and they kept dancing. She even responded to his stroking her fingers, by doing the same and during the next song, she even entwined her fingers with his. Remus was surprised at first, they had known each other for a day and an evening but it seemed like so much more.

"You fancy a walk, Remus?" She asked when the music was too – for them to continue dancing so slowly.

"Yes, it's a good idea." Remus said. They walked outside of the backyard. There was a little path between meadows and they followed it. James and Lily had made lights levitate even there.

"You didn't walk on my feet that much."

"I'm sorry again, for the times I did." She said laughing lightly.

"It's fine, really, it actually made it only funnier."

"You're a nice man, Remus."

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are."

"You know, we could see each other again someday. Have a coffee or something.."

"I'd love to, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus!" She said, punching his arm playfully.

"Sorry, I won't do it again. But, just for your information, I'm more of a hot chocolate drinker than of a coffee drinker."

"Me too, except in the morning, I like a coffee to wake me up."

"Same for me." Remus said with a smile.

Tonks reached for his hand, and he let her entwine her fingers with his.

"You think we should go back to the party?"

"I don't know, I'm fine here." Tonks said gesturing around them.

"Yeah, me too." Remus said looking at her and though it was dark, he could see her blush.

They sat on the edge of the little path. Remus had bent his legs and rested his elbows on his knees. Tonks had bent her legs too and drew them against her chest. She looked at Remus, he looked back laughing he noticed she was biting her lips. He pushed her lightly and playfully and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad I met you, Remus." She said quietly.

"I'm glad I met you, Nymphadora."

"I'll pretend you're very tired and you didn't really want to call me Nymphadora, and I won't hex you."

"Very generous of you, Nymphadora." He said and they looked at the people having fun, far away, in the back yard of the Potter.

"Be careful! I'd do it you know!" She said laughing, removing her head from his shoulder to look at him.

"Oh yeah, and what exactly would you do?"

"I'd –" Nymphadora was cut and she laughed madly.

"Because I know _I_'d tickle you!" he said, tickling her on her side and she fell on her back so he was on top of her. He stopped and looked at her; she was breathing heavily and looking back at him smiling.

Remus bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. Maybe he was a bit tipsy, maybe they both were and that's why they found it even easier to get so close. She chuckled and she placed the palm of her hand on his cheek. He hesitated but eventually he kissed her hand.

He leaned closer again and kissed her on the forehead. Then, he lay next to her, on the cold floor. Remus took her hand again and they watch the sky. Tonks laughed, Remus turned to look at her wondering why she was laughing alone.

"I don't know why people look at the sky. There's nothing right now, just some stars and I don't know anything about them. And I don't think they know anything about me either."

"I can't say I listened much in Astronomy class so I don't know them either." Remus said. Tonks turned to look at him as he spoke. "And the only one who knows about me is the Moon and I don't like her very much."

"I like you very much." Tonks said.

* * *

_Hey! I hope you liked it! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think of it. There's still two or three chapters to come. It's gonna be a short one but I wanted to write another one._

_I wrote this one because I like to think that if Remus's friends had survived, he would have still meant Tonks and fell in love with her. And well, she would have fall in love with him too._

_Don't hesitate to review to tell me what you think of it! :D_

_I'm also writing_ **The Bright Pink Sun In The Sky.**


	2. Back to real life

Remus waited, leaning against the wall where they had planned to meet before going in a small café not far away. As he waited, Remus started to get nervous. What if it's the party that made them get along so easily and now that they were just the two of them, both sober, back in real life they had nothing to say to each other. What if they had nothing in common actually? They were so different, it could happen. It was very probable actually. Remus's foot tapped against the floor in a fast rhythm. No, they had to have something in common, they wouldn't have spent so much time together – they basically spent their whole time together during Sirius's party.

"Remus!" Tonks shouted from the other side of the street. Remus tried to stop thinking about all these negative things and he'd just see how it goes. He waved at her and she crossed the street.

"Hello, Tonks." He said smiling warmly at her. There really was something about her, something he could certainly not deny, when she was there, he simply felt better.

"Sorry I just got back from work; I'm not very well dressed. Don't think I didn't want to make any effort, I was just short on time." She said and seemed little embarrassed

"You look lovely."

"Oh Remus, you don't need to be polite with me. Do I need to remind you that I saw you sing a muggle song as we danced last time we met?"

"That was uncalled for." Remus said laughing lightly. "But I mean it." Tonks rolled her eyes. "Shall we?" He asked politely.

"Alright, where do you want to go?"

"There's this little French café, they make excellent hot chocolate."

"Seems like I can't deny."

"Of course you can." Remus said quickly. "It was only an option." He said a bit awkwardly.

"I was kidding, Remus!" She said laughing.

"Oh, sorry." He said blushing. He cleared his throat hoping he wouldn't make a fool of himself anymore and said "So, how was your day?"

"Fine, though something fun happened: Mad-Eye and I complotted against the new guy because he's a git. Like, for example, he made fun of me the first day and in front of Mad-Eye so now none of us like him. So while he was on a mission, not a tough one we're not crazy, it was just a little something, we charmed everything to make him fall. Like oil fell on the floor in front of him, and a bag of feathers burst next to him. He could have looked like a chicken. We were really nice, we could have made him look like a chicken and we didn't. I kind of regret it now."

"And did he fall?" Remus asked, interested in her little story and loving the way she told it. It was funny to see how she was thinking and speaking at the same time and it sometimes both got mixed up.

"Yes, four times. Only negative point of the day: I lost the bet." She said with a resigned tone, Remus raised his eyebrows in surprised. "Oh yeah, we bet too. Mad-Eye, Kingsley and I, Mad-Eye said he'd fall five times, I said six and Kingsley said four."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt?" Remus asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, isn't it serious from the man who wants to be the next Prime Minister?"

"Well, I'll advise you not to send the information to the Daily Prophet when he'll start his campaign."

"Dunno, I could make some money." Tonks said quite seriously but then burst out laughing.

"Here it is." Remus said pointing to the little café. It had a white façade, and in a blue handwriting was written "Au café français". Remus opened the door for Tonks and she seemed a bit taken aback as he did.

"I'm just trying to be polite." Remus said with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, yeah, right, sorry. Not used, that's it." She said blushing.

They sat at a table in the corner of the room; there weren't too many people and Remus preferred actually. He hated place when he couldn't clearly the person he was talking to. The waiter came to them; he must have been in his twenties. He had black short hair and light coloured eyes; he was wearing a light blue shirt and a pair of jeans. Remus didn't like the way he looked at Tonks when he saw her. At first he just glanced at her but then when he talked, he only looked at her. Maybe he thought Remus could only be a brother or something. Maybe that wasn't right. They both ordered a hot chocolate and Tonks looked at Remus with a warm smile and he just felt better. After all, she had accepted to come here with him.

"You come here often?" She asked looking around them. There were pictures on the wall, pictures of cities and peoples.

"No as much as I'd want to, but I like this place."

"It's lovely, I love the decoration. I wish my flat was decorated this way." She looked back at him and he blushed. How stupid he was to blush this way. He wasn't fifteen anymore. Tonks laughed. He was ridiculous now.

"Here, your two hot chocolates." The waiter said as he placed the two cups on the table. "You'll tell us what you think of them." The young man told Tonks with a smile that Remus really didn't like. Really.

"Is he flirting with me?" Tonks asked eyes wide opened in surprise when the waiter had walked away.

"Since he first had his eyes on you, yes." Remus said a bit annoyed. "You can still ask for his number if you want." Remus said and regretted the words the second he had said them.

"What does that mean? You think I'm a slut?" She asked angrily.

"No, I didn't mean that, sorry." Remus said not daring to look at her in the eyes.

"You think that because I like to wear bright colours, different from other people, it's because I want to get noticed? I want to get guys to hit on me? You're not different from the guys I've met before."

"Tonks, I'm sorry." He said and he placed his hand on hers not wanting to let her go. Why did he have to be so stupid?

"For what? Showing your true face now? Sooner rather than later, they say."

She started to reach for her bag to pay and Remus held her hand more firmly and said:

"Tonks. Don't. And listen to me for merlin's sake." She raised her head quickly and shot him a death glare. He had to make things right, he couldn't fail. "I didn't mean that. I meant that it pissed me off that he looked at you because it reminds me that I'm too old for you and that you should be with a guy like him right now, and not me." She raised an eyebrow at him quizzically. "I'm... what... twelve or thirteen years older than you are, that's a lot. And I know that it's not right, for me, to spend time with you because it's like I'm taking something away from you. So no, I don't think you're a slut and I don't think you were your hair pink and wear a green sweater and…" Remus looked quickly under the table "flower designed patched jeans to be noticed. So, please, don't go."

"You don't think I'm a slut?"

"I don't think you are one. And please, can we stop using that word." Remus said with a light laugh and Tonks smiled.

"So, you're just jealous that he looked at me."

"You're enjoying yourself, right?" Remus asked with an amused smile.

"Well, it's either I'm enjoying myself, either I let the floor swallow me." She said.

"You'd be a terrible loss, take the first option even if it's at my expense."

"You're nice." Tonks said with a kind smile.

"Not with everyone."

"Yes, you are." Tonks insisted nodding her head.

"You think I can't be mean?" Remus asked surprised. When he thought back in his life, he never really had been mean, so maybe he got a point there. But he wondered why everyone saw in him "the right guy".

"I think you have a good heart." She said "And that's just fine." She added. Remus looked at her bemused and she smiled again that warm smile that he realized he just loved. "How about, we drink our chocolate quickly and leave this place and just wander around?"

"I think that's a very good idea." Remus said.

They finished their drinks and before Tonks could protest, Remus paid for both of them. He wouldn't show her that he had some struggle with money on their first… date? Was it already a date?

Remus and Tonks's arms kept brushing as they walked and sometimes they just looked at each other smiling shyly.

Tonks wanted to sit on a bank in a less crowded place and so they did. As they sit Remus placed his elbow on the back of the bank and he looked at her tenderly, thinking at how they already had a fight and already made up.

"Stop it." She said laughing lightly.

"What?"

"Looking at me!"

"You mind?"

"I don't like being looked at like that."

"Really?" He asked cheekily. She shook her head laughing and turned her head and stared. The game started and none of them looked away.

"How long are you gonna stare at me?" She asked, getting more and more confident.

"I don't know. How long can you last?"

"Longer than you can." She said. She snapped her fingers next to her face.

"Are you cheating?!" Remus asked, still looking at her.

"Maybe." She said and he could see in his visual field that she stuck her tongue at him.

"Stop it." He said trying to sound serious but failed brilliantly.

"What?"

"You're disturbing me. But you know, you're only making the game _slightly _difficult. I'll still beat you in the end."

"You think." She said.

"Well, while we're there" Remus said, still staring at her "I wanted to ask – " Remus looked away "Sirius." He said.

"What?" She asked surprised.

"Sirius's there." He said.

"Remus! Tonks!" His friend shouted. He was quite far away and walked quickly to them. They both got up and joined him mid-way.

"Hey! What are you two doing here?" Sirius asked genuinely surprised. Remus was already relieved that he didn't make any assumptions yet. Maybe he didn't make any because he would never want and believe that one of his best friend was actually seeing his little cousin.

"We just met there." Tonks answered smiling.

"Oh, right. Anyway, I'm glad I'm seeing you two there. I'm throwing a party next week, on Friday. Mary and I found a house and we can move in on Monday, isn't it great? So you're both invited of course. We'll start at 7 or 8pm I don't know, we'll make it a bit like last time at James and Lily's. Can you come?"

"Yeah, I can." Tonks answered.

"Yes, me too." Remus said.

"Cool. I can't stay long with you, I have to go back home now, Mary and I are already packing. Shit, I'll have to owl you anyway, to give you the address of my new house! My new house guys!" Sirius said happily.

"It's great." Remus said pleased to see his friend so happy.

"I can't wait to see it." Tonks said with a kind smile.

"I have to leave. I can't wait to show you _my house_, it's so great you'll see!" Sirius said as he was already walking away.

"Of course, have a good afternoon." Tonks said and waved goodbye at him.

"See you." Remus said and Sirius walked in a narrowed street and disapparated.

"So, what do we do? Do we go back on that bank or do you want to go somewhere else?" Tonks asked smiling kindly at him.

"How about we walk?" Remus said. They walked out of Hogsmeade and found a path that they followed. Remus was thinking about Sirius. What would he say if he knew he was interested in his Tonks, his _cousin_ who was _thirteen _younger than he was? Would he simply kill him? Or rip him into pieces and place them all around the world? Or eat them as Snuffles?

"When we were sitting on the bank, you said you wanted to ask something." Tonks said.

"Oh, yes, right." Remus said shaking his head slightly to concentrate again.

"So?" She asked laughing.

"I was wondering… if you'd like to go out one evening, you know… we could go have dinner… I don't know which day you prefer, I thought I'd let you the choice… if you want… of course, if you want." Remus noticed Tonks's smile widening but she didn't seem to want him to see that because she bit her lips to hide it. Remus liked her smile.

"Friday night could be fine, usually I finish earlier." She said trying to sound casual. Only _trying,_ because Remus noticed that her voice was a little bit higher pitched than usual like every time she was happy about something.

"Alright for Friday night, I'll take you at… let's say 7:30pm?"

"If it's alright with for Friday night of course!" She said quickly.

"It is." Remus said and he walked closer to her and the back of her fingers brushed each other.

"May I know where you're going to take me?"

"No, it's a surprise."

"Oh, am I supposed to be scared? And how am I supposed to know what I should wear? I don't want to be overdressed or not enough."

"I trust your good taste." Remus said laughing.

"Don't mock me." Tonks said hitting him in the arm playfully.

"I wouldn't dare. I believe you said you don't hesitate before you hex someone."

"Not much, indeed."

"So if I call you Nymphadora, what are you going to do?" Remus asked mischievously.

"I'll be nice, and for you only, I will only give you a warning."

"Oh." Remus said nodding his head and with a mischievous smile on his face he added: "so I shouldn't say it again?"

"No, and Remus Lupin" She stopped in mid-sentence and then added "– oh wait… do you have a middle name?"

"What?"

"Do you have a middle name?" She asked looking and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I do. It's John."

"Nice one." She said with a smile and then continued "Alright, what was I about to say, oh yeah. Remus John Lupin, I can hear it in your tone, don't try to say my full name again!"

"Really?"

"Yes!" She said stubbornly.

"Alright, not for today."

"Not ever."

"We'll see about that." He said.

They kept on walking and talked, Remus found it easy to talk with her. The subjects changed without him noticing and when they remained silent it was a comfortable and peaceful silence. The talked about how everything was more beautiful in this time of the year, how she liked going near the lake when she was at Hogwarts. They talked about the houses they were sorted in.

"I'm not surprised you were in Gryffindor, really."

"You're not?"

"No."

"You say that because you knew Sirius was in Gryffindor."

"Not only, there's something about you, you're kind of a gentleman but at the same time… well, you're a marauder just as well!"

"I'm still a proud marauder, though at my age I shouldn't anymore."

"_At your age_: You're not old." Tonks said shaking her head. Remus's body tensed. He was much older than she was, had she forgotten it?

"I'm quite older than you are." He said sounding more seriously than he wished.

"I won't deny that you are older than I am, but that doesn't mean you're old. It's the spirit that counts."

"The spirit?"

"Yes, I mean, the most important thing is to remain young in your mind, that's what my dad always says."

"Maybe you're right."

"Please, the '_maybe_' in your sentence is useless." She said airily as she rolled her eyes. Remus definitely liked her.

* * *

_Hello! this chapter's not very long but it's because I want to separate it from the 'real' date! _

_About the first chapter, you told me that they moved a bit quickly - I agree! But then, I had in mind that they were both tipsy and they spent an awful lot of time together during this party, the whole afternoon and the whole night together you know. But you were right and I loved your comments it's always really helpful! I was just saying it here for those who may have think the same but didn't say it. :)_

_Don't hesitate again to tell me what you like/dislike. It's always much appreciated and very helpful. :)_

_I hope you like this one. :) _

_xx_


	3. First date

It was half past seven: Remus was at her door, he knocked and waited. He felt nervous at the idea of going on a date with a woman, especially with a woman he liked so much. He just didn't want to mess it this time, he knew that when he got nervous he would make the worst things to do during a date.

She opened the door, Remus looked at her and he wondered if he had ever seen a woman so beautiful in his life. She was wearing a simple green dress, with a thin belt on her waist highlighting her curves, making her look even gorgeous and she was wearing thin brown laced boots.

"Wotcher Remus!" She greeted him "I'm just grabbing my bag and we can go!" She said opening a cupboard in the little entry of her flat. She then opened another one, moving everything in the drawer to look for her bag.

"You know you could accio it?" Remus asked a bit sheepishly, especially since he didn't want to offense her.

"Oh, yeah, right." She said, blushing lightly.

"_Accio _brown bag." She said and it came from under a pillow on the sofa. She blushed and Remus just laughed.

"So, where are we going?" She asked as she closed the door.

"You'll see." Remus said quietly.

"Argh! Why?!"

"Because I like teasing you." Remus answered.

"I noticed, thank you." She said trying not to smile.

She closed her door and led Remus out of the building; he just waited for them to be in the street to say in her ear "You're very beautiful."

She blushed and say very quietly "Thank you." Then she joked "You're not too bad yourself." Remus had noticed that she liked to joke whenever she felt a little nervous.

Then they walked in a narrowed street where they apparated to another street that Tonks didn't recognize.

"You're really going to keep the secret until the last moment?"

"Exactly." It was not some extraordinary place, but it amused Remus.

They kept walking, Remus asked about her day and she told him some stories about Mad-Eye and Kingsley. They finally reached the place where Remus wanted to go, it was an Italian restaurant. It was a friend restaurant: It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but a cosy one and not too crowded.

Remus opened the door for her and she walked in a bit shyly. He was surprised to see her nervous but he was glad that she was because it could mean that she liked him too. Because, merlin, he liked her and he hoped she didn't realize that he was at least twice as nervous as she seemed.

"It's a very lovely place." She said as she entered.

"Let's sit there, there's a nice booth." He said gesturing toward the other hand of the restaurant.

"So that's where you take women?"

"Yes, this place has a good karma for it." Remus said smiling. Tonks looked at him confused, as if she was wondering if he was serious or not. "I'm kidding." He said and he placed his hand on her back to lead her to their seat.

"Are you seeing anyone else?" She asked trying to sound casual.

"No. No, I'm not." Remus answered looking at her in the eyes trying to show her he wasn't lying and that she was the only one he had his eyes on. He noticed that she easily seemed hurt when he talked – he wasn't the most careful man either and he hadn't the best humour too. So he wondered if she had some bad experiences before but he wouldn't ask; that would be rude and the day she'd feel like talking about it she would but he wouldn't push it.

"Are you?" He asked after a small silence when they didn't stop looking at each other.

"No, I'm not. Though, there's this guy. Kind of a good guy you know, he's tall with light brown hair, often wears his brown jacket. Do you know me? He happens not to be too friend with rabbits one night a month."

"Rabbits?" Remus asked surprised.

"Well, I had to make your description a bit funny." She said trying to sound confident but Remus could just tell she was a bit scared of his reaction. But he laughed, and she joined him and he was glad that she was comfortable with him on that point. He didn't want to speak of the subject, and he wouldn't, not tonight, but the fact that she had joked about it only means she wasn't repulsed by this, by him. Not for now at least.

They looked at the menu, glancing at each other from time to time with a mischievous smile.

"The pizzas seem yummy." She said and looked up at him as if asking for his opinion. Remus was about to choose a more conventional meal but when she said she'd take a pizza he thought he'd choose one too. He liked that she didn't choose something to make him think that she didn't eat much, or that she kept counting calories. She just seemed to be herself and that made him even happier to be in that restaurant with her just in front of him.

"Well, let's try them."

"How about we take two different ones and we share? I love doing that."

"I wouldn't have dared to ask." He said with a wide smile. They ordered and took two drinks to wait for their meal.

"The pizzas are really great here, you won't regret it." Remus said as he took a sip of his drink.

"Next time, I'll take you to my favourite pizzeria, it's near my flat. Pizzas are so yummy there." She said joyfully but then she stopped smiling abruptly and said "If there's a next time, I mean, I'm saying this but I don't know if you actually want to go out again, I mean, our evening only just started." She said quite embarrassed.

"I'd love to go to this pizzeria with you, Tonks." Remus said casually, trying to make her feel better. "Did I tell you already that you look absolutely lovely?" Remus said looking at her just to see her blush again.

"That wasn't the exact terms, but you did say something like that. Thank you again, you look just great too and please don't say it again, I'm awful at dealing with compliments."

"You're _awful at dealing with compliments?"_ Remus repeated surprised.

"Yes. You may have noticed."

"I'm sorry. I'll try my best not to compliment you too much." Remus said with a mischievous smile.

They spent a nice time in the restaurant; Remus found it easy to be with her, so easy it was ridiculous. He didn't feel bad at eating a pizza on a date. He had already been on a date, when he was young with a girl who said she hated guys who ordered the same meal they'd take if they were with friends. It hadn't work at all with this girl since she kept saying everything she hated to happen on a date and Remus just didn't know what to do at all.

But with Tonks, he wasn't thinking anymore. He was just himself. They kept talking, about their lives, their jobs, the atmosphere of the restaurant, the people they could see in the streets. They talked so much, of everything and anything that when they got up to pay the bill they were the only one left in the restaurant and the bartender, who didn't happen to be Remus's friend, seemed relieved that they were finally leaving.

Remus insisted on paying the bill but she stubbornly asked to pay half of it and after talking for some long minutes Remus eventually surrendered. When they got out of the restaurant, they walked in the street, just wandering.

"I can pay my share." Tonks said for what must have been the tenth time.

"But it's not very gentleman-like to let you pay." Remus said.

"That's no excuse. I'll pay."

"You're very stubborn." Remus said with a tender smile, discovering her a new quality he liked.

"You'd better get used to it, mister I'm-a-gentleman."

"My lady, shall we leave now?" He asked on an overly polite tone offering her his arm.

"We shall." She said on the same fake tone. They walked in the streets slowly, taking their time and enjoying each other's presence. Remus just didn't want to let go of her now, he didn't want to take her home now. He wanted to spend the whole night with her again.

"Oh look at this! I didn't know it was still opened!" Tonks almost shouted, pointing the other side of the street.

"What is it?"

"It's an old movie theatre, I used to come with my dad but then I grew up and Auror training and everything, we stopped. But they have late séances which are neither porn, neither horror movies but actual old movies."

"I'm very glad your Dad didn't take you to watch porn movies." Remus said trying to keep his face serious but failed, as usual. She tapped his arm playfully. But Remus thought that, maybe, she was sending him a message; maybe she wanted to go watch a movie with him _right now_. Maybe, she didn't want this night to stop yet.

"Do you want to see if there's one tonight?" Remus asked, thinking that the question was not too risky, she could refuse without him being ridiculous and she could, _hopefully_ say yes.

"You wouldn't mind?" She asked looking coyly.

"Of course not, let's go check." Remus said. And they did, they crossed the street and looked at the schedule of the night.

"There's one starting in a bit less than half an hour." Remus said.

"What's the movie?"

"_Some Like It Hot. It is February 1929 in the city of Chicago. Two friends who are struggling jazz musicians, Joe a saxophone player, irresponsible gambler and ladies' man, and Jerry a sensible double-bass player, accidentally witness the Saint Valentine's Day massacre. When the gangsters, led by "Spats" Colombo spot them, the two have to run for their lives. Penniless, freezing cold, and in a rush to get out of town, the two musicians take a job in a women's band headed to Miami. Disguised as women and calling themselves Josephine and Daphne." _It's an old movie." Remus said after he read the synopsis.

"Sounds fun." Tonks said with a warm smile. "Do you want to see it?"

"I'd love to but please, let me offer you the popcorn." Remus said smiling. She nodded and they entered the movie theatre, took their ticket – Remus was glad that she let him pay this time – and sat way in advance for the movie. They watched the trailers and advertisements before the movie started, they spoke and laughed all along, disturbing the only other two people in the room.

And actually, during the movie Tonks and Remus couldn't help but talk and comment the movie. Remus noticed how she placed her hand on his forearm each time she had something to say. He noticed little things, like how her hair brushed his cheek as she rested her head on his shoulder laughing too much to sit normally. And by the end of the film, she seemed to get tired and she didn't move her head from his shoulder anymore, and feeling the sleepiness coming too, Remus placed his head on hers not thinking he'd be overwhelmed by her scent. It made him lose complete concentration on the film; instead, he only tried to get what she smelt like. And he thought it was a mix of raspberries and fresh flowers and he decided that he definitely loved her scent.

They got out of the theatre, Remus still twitched like it had when she had put her head on his shoulder. He felt like a teenage boy but it felt good.

_"You turn the heat on me. Some like it hot." _Tonks sang in a very low voice as they walked in the street. Remus didn't know when his hands had actually developed a mind of their own but he reached for her hand and made her twirl as if they were dancing. Tonks laughed and it was contagious because soon, Remus couldn't help but laughing with her too. And she didn't mind, she kept dancing, and laughing when he made her twirl. It was 2a.m and there was no one in the street except some people who were in the theatre. She kept singing some of the lyrics, though she didn't remember everything.

_"Oh baby, I'm from that old school. I'll play it real cool"_ Remus made her twirl again and pulled her closer to him. He nuzzled her hair.

_"Love burns you up the most like it or not but baby, I like it hot." _Her voice was barely a whisper now and they were more holding each other in the middle of the street rather than dancing. He let go of her – unwillingly.

"I think it's time for me to take you home, Nymphadora."

"Remus!" She said raising an eyebrow defiantly.

"Sorry… Nymphadora." He said with a mischievous grin he couldn't control.

"I'll assume that you're tired." She said and she slid her hand between his arm and his waist. He noticed that she started to shiver a bit, which was normal since it was quite late and even in summer the nights weren't all chilly. He turned sheepishly to look at her and asked:

"Do you want my jacket?"

"What?" She asked surprised.

"You're shivering. You're cold." He said feeling more and more awkward.

"Oh, no, you'll be cold." She said with what seemed to be a polite smile compared to her wide and warm smiles she gave him.

"Please, let me do like every teenage muggles in the movies." He joked hoping it would make the moment easier. And it worked because she laughed so he put off his jacket and placed it carefully on her shoulders.

"It even suits you better." He said as he took a look at her. She turned her head on one side raising an eyebrow. "Really, you look lovely." She shook her head and they kept walking, her hands busy holding his jacket around her he thought that his idea might not have been that smart.

On their way, she realized they weren't very far from her flat and they kept walking. She didn't seem to want this night to end, and Remus couldn't feel better about this. They kept talking about the movies they had seen and how the waiter in the restaurant actually looked like on the men in the movie, Josephine or Daphne he couldn't tell.

Too soon, they were at her door and they looked at each other laughing lightly at the awkwardness of the situation.

"I had a very good evening and early night with you." She said letting go of his arm, her fingers brushing his hand before they were on the doorknob. No doubt that was the first time Remus was jealous of a doorknob.

"So had I. You sing very well." She said with a smile.

"Don't mock me, I know that I sing really badly but I like singing." She said laughing.

"Well, whenever you want, I'm your partner in dance if you want to sing in the street again." She leaned on the doorframe looking at him defying him to say something about her talent as a singer or a dancer. But he only had compliments for her. Maybe she didn't sing really well, but he couldn't care less and who was he to judge her anyway? It didn't matter how good they were at this, but only how they fitted together and tonight had ridiculously easily proved to Remus that they fitted quite well together.

"Well, see you?"

"See you soon." Remus said making a step toward her. He wondered if he could kiss her. It was their first date and they didn't know each other for such a long time, though it did felt like it. Maybe she would be offense if he tried to kiss her. Maybe she would be disappointed if he didn't kiss her. Why hadn't he thought about this _before_ he was on the threshold?

"Soon?" She asked pleasantly surprised.

"Very soon." He corrected. Her smile widened but she tried to hide it by looking at her feet.

He leaned closer, his brain got mad by thinking too much. He placed hand carefully on her neck, caressing her jaw and left a kiss on her other cheek. He felt her catch her breath and he felt happy with himself because he thought that maybe he wasn't the only one who had a stomach gone crazy twitching madly. He kissed her cheek a bit longer than necessary but she didn't seem to mind, quite the opposite if he judge by the way her fingers held his when he leaned closer. She was holding them tightly and released them one by one. He backed away but kept his hand on her neck and waited a little more before removing it because he knew he'd already miss the touch of her skin against his fingers.

"Goodnight, Remus." She whispered.

"Goodnight, Nymphadora." He said with a mischievous smile.

Merlin, he knew _he_ would sleep just well. He disapparated and when he entered his house he realized he didn't have his jacket. Well, at least he would have a reason to see her again soon. Not that he needed one.

* * *

The next morning, Remus found a brownish owl at his window. After releasing the bird from the letter and giving her something to eat he read what was Nymphadora Tonks's letter. He loved her handwriting, it was really lovely: tall letters, rounded and a bit oblique.

_Remus, _

_I realized I had your jacket. Sorry I forgot to give it back to you. How about I make myself forgiven with a lunch this week?_

_Tonks_

Remus couldn't help but smile and answered:

_Nymphadora,_

_I believe you were a little distracted. A lunch would be just fine, when are you available?_

_Remus. _

As he prepared his breakfast, he realized that she could have simply given his jacket in a package to the owl. But she didn't. She wanted to see him again. Later in the morning her answer came.

_Remus, _

_And I believe that if I was distracted, it was because of you. I don't know, when are _you _available? I can be with you during my lunch break any day of the week. _

_Tonks._

_PS: I'm taking good care of your jacket but you don't even seem to mind._

Remus laughed this time, he realized he _really_ liked her and it kind of scared him. He couldn't help thinking about her, even when he was working. Sometimes when he saw a book he made him think of her and he thought about telling her about it, though he didn't want to be a creep and keep telling her he thought about her during the day.

_Nymphadora,_

_All my apologies if I distracted you. I shall not do it again. Tuesday seems good, what do you think? _

_Remus._

_PS: The only reason I didn't ask anything was that I had no doubt you took good care of it._

Remus felt like a kid when he was at work, he couldn't wait to be back home to read her letter. And he wasn't disappointed to see the owl at his window, tough the animal seemed a bit angry at him as she tried to pinch him several times.

_Remus,_

_You do not need to apologize for distracting me. Fine for Tuesday, when's you lunch break? I can choose noon to 1 or 1 to 2pm. _

_Nymphadora._

_PS: Thank you. Your jacket misses you though._

Remus slightly had the impression that she didn't want to stop writing, and he couldn't say he minded.

_Nymphadora,_

_My lunch break is from 1 to 2. So where do we meet? Do you want to meet in a place or do you want to meet somewhere else and we walk to there?_

_Remus._

_PS: I am sure you will be able to comfort my lonely jacket. And don't worry, I will be sure to repay you for all that bother._

Remus absolutely loved their second conversation apart from the details about their future meeting. Remus grew more and more impatient for her next letter. Remus almost jumped from the sofa when he heard the owl tap the window.

_Remus,_

_I could go wait to the library you work in? You could give me the address and I'll meet you there. What do you think?_

_Nymphadora._

_PS: And how will you repay me? Because I do have a lot of comfort to give to your jacket (feeling lonelier and lonelier) so I'm looking forward your repayment. By the way, you don't need your jacket? I mean, in the following days?_

Remus had a smile on his face as he read. What there a moment as he read her letters when he wasn't smiling?

_Dear Nymphadora,_

_If it's not a bother for you, that could be an option, but I really don't want to bother you. I'll give you the address anyway: The Library of all the Arts, 12, shining cauldrons street. _In the wizard district of London.

_Remus._

_PS: I shall give you back all the comfort you're giving to my lonely jacket whenever you need it. And no, I do not need it._

They kept sending some letters again and then Remus missed not seeing her owl at his window. He thought the first days of the week were indeed very long, as if someone had messed with a time turner. He received Sirius's owl giving the address of his new house, which actually was a village just next to James and Lily's.

On Tuesday, he kept the morning thinking about the moment he'd see her. She'd be just at this door when he'd take his lunch break and he couldn't wait.

"Wotcher Remus!" she said as soon as she saw walk out of the door. She was waiting leaning on the wall next to the door. "I didn't come in; some people don't like to see an Auror in their shops."

"You already bothered to come. How are you?" He looked at her more carefully and noticed that under her Auror cloak she was wearing patched jeans and a large purple t shirt and of course she had her short pink hair. Remus had become quite fond of the pink.

"Very well, how about you?" She asked with a wide smile.

"Just fine." He almost didn't have time to finish his answer when she almost jumped:

"Oh! Your jacket!" She said – or shouted would be more accurate. She put off her cloak and gave it to Remus. She was wearing his jacket under his cloak.

"You must have been dead hot with all these clothes." Remus said laughing lightly.

"Well, I wasn't wearing it this morning. I put it on before I came." She said with a shy smile. She gave it to him and he put it on.

"I swear, it looks better when you're the one wearing it." He said looking down at himself.

"Don't say that!" She said laughing.

"Anyway, thank you for taking good care of it." He said in a trying to be polite tone.

"It's only normal." She answered. "But I want a repay." She said before she stuck her tongue at him.

"What do you want?" Remus asked raising an eyebrow.

"What do you have to offer?"

"Not much I'm afraid." He said as a joke but as he thought about it, it wasn't much of a joke. Remus didn't have a lot of money, not as much as any normal man out there who would be ready to do everything to have her. He was old, and he didn't have much money, and a lot of people were prejudiced about werewolves.

"Is a hug too much for you?" She asked trying to sound confident but he saw in the way she looked at him that she wasn't so much.

"I should manage." He said and he opened her arms for her. They held each other tightly, not wanting to let the other go for those seconds of closeness. Feeling a bit more confident with her in his arms, Remus said quietly "I doubt one will repay the comfort you gave to my jacket. I'm afraid I will have to repeat the action later."

"I'm afraid you will, indeed. Your jacket was _very_ lonely." She said amused.

Then, they spent a good time, having lunch together and they promised each other to do it again the next week. Remus was definitely glad he had forgotten his jacket. Remus pulled her in an embrace when they said goodbye to each other.

* * *

_Hey! I hope you like this one. I wanted to put Sirius's party in this chapter but then I decided not to because it would be too much. I hope I'm not messing with the characters. I count on you for telling me if I was, right? I don't really know what to add right now. it's starting to be a bit late here so maybe that's why. Anyway if you have any question about the story: please ask me! :) _

_Oh yeah, I didn't detailed too many conversations because I'm not very good at it and sometimes it sounds boring when I do so I'd rather summarize it in a paragraph, you know? I hope you don't mind. I like keeping the interesting ones._

_Anyway, don't hesitate to tell me what you like/dislike. :)_

_I really hope you like it. And well, when I said this would be a 3 chapters fanfic, obviously, I can't do that anymore. I like writing this one so I think it's gonna be a bit longer! _

_I should update soon since most of the next chapter is already written. But I think it should be on thursday or something because I have to prepare exams tomorrow :(_

_Have a good day ! xx_


	4. Dancing

The day before Sirius's party, Tonks and Remus agreed to meet again for a coffee. Somehow, it seemed like they couldn't spent more than 3 days without seeing each other. Remus liked the habit of giving her a hug to say hello and goodbye.

Remus and Tonks went separated. Sirius had made a tour to Remus, it was a nice house, cosy the real opposite of Sirius's family house and Remus knew that was the reason he loved it so much. There were three rooms, and Sirius had had a huge grin on his face when he had presented the other rooms so Remus had no doubt that they wouldn't wait long before they'd had children. It had a nice backyard and Sirius said that Mary had started growing flowers and they would have a little garden. Sirius left him to make a tour to someone else and Remus was quickly greeted by Lily. They were in the living room when Lily and another woman came to him.

"Hey, Remus. How are you doing?" Lily greeted him.

"Very well, you?"

"Great. Here's my friend Annabeth, she works with me at the Office." Remus shook hand with the woman. He knew what his friend was doing again: she was trying to set him up _again_. James, Sirius and Lily had been doing that for years. Remus talked lightly with them, it was mostly Lily saying things about both of them. Remus lost all concentration and only nodded his head to their talking: Tonks had come in the house, talking to her cousin. She was wearing black slim trousers, red sneakers and a large white sweater with many colour lines and other shapes on it. She had her short bright pink hair. Remus couldn't keep his eyes off of her; he had to fight with himself to look at Lily and her friend. He realized he had already forgotten her name.

"If you excuse me, I need to ask Sirius something." Remus apologized and left quickly. Tonks shot him her best smile from the other end of the room. Remus needed air right now. He found James and Sirius and talked with them as usual. He even had the right to hear "Have you met Lily's colleague, Annabeth?" from James. Remus did not answer, he only raised his eyebrow at his friends and Sirius burst out laughing, no doubt used to Remus reaction by now.

Later, that night, when they were about to sit at the table, Lily insisted on Annabeth to sit in front of Remus. He felt bad for the woman, no doubt they had told her he was a single man, she had his chances, maybe they had things in common but his mind was busy with Nymphadora Tonks. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and the fact that she was at the same place as he was wasn't helping at all. Tired of the awkward silent, Remus offered Lily's friend to get her another drink, since he was getting himself another butterbeer. The young woman told him that she didn't drink butterbeer and couldn't stand the taste. Remus then thought that maybe he'd take a firewhiskey after all because if he had to spend the whole evening with her, it would be a very long night.

He got up and walked to the kitchen, where Sirius had told him all the drinks were. Nymphadora was there and Remus felt his smile widening just at her sight. She was so beautiful. _Damn_, she wasn't helping at all.

"Hello, there." He said when he was behind her.

"Wotcher Remus!" She said joyfully. They looked at each other a bit awkwardly.

"Lily is trying to set me up with one of her friend." Remus said a bit awkwardly. He didn't exactly know why he felt like he had to justify himself.

"You're kidding?" Tonks asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"No. Please, come and sit with us."

"I don't want to witness the scene when you start to... you know." She said with a sarcastic laugh before she turned to look down at the table.

Tonks handed him a bottle of butterbeer and Remus placed his fingers on hers, his thumb stroking hers.

"You won't. You're the one I want to talk with right now, to laugh with and to dance with." Remus said but she didn't responded. "But you want to… right?"

"Yes, yeah I do." She said a bit confused.

"Great." He said with a smile he couldn't even control anymore. "So please, tell me you'll join us?"

"I'll try." Tonks answered smiling mischievously.

"Pretty please." Remus said in her ear.

"I'll try my best." Tonks said. Remus took the butterbeer and walked back to the table. Annabeth told him why she disliked this drink but Remus couldn't even remember the arguments just a minute after she had told them. Several long minutes later, Tonks sat loosely on the chair next to Remus.

"Hey guys. You mind if I join you?" Tonks asked casually.

"Of course no." Remus said trying to sound _only_ polite.

"How're you doing, Remus?" Tonks turned her head toward Lily's colleague and said "Hey, I don't think we've been introduced before, I'm Tonks." Tonks made a glass fall as she reached out her hand to shake. With a wave of his wand, Remus cleaned everything but Annabeth seemed clearly annoyed. Remus gave Nymphadora a kind smile and she blushed lightly.

"Annabeth."

"Sirius's house is great, don't you think?" Tonks tried to make the conversation.

"Very lovely, indeed." Remus answered. The situation was way too awkward and Remus only hoped that he wouldn't spend his whole evening this way.

"Yes. It's a beautiful house." Annabeth said.

They all made little talk and ate dinner, speaking with the people around them. Later when Sirius put some music and everyone danced, Annabeth asked Remus if he wanted to dance and he didn't feel like denying her invitation because he didn't want to be rude. So he danced with her, it was different from when he danced with Tonks, this time he wasn't close to her _at all_. He kept his hand high on her back. Remus laughed when he saw Sirius having fun with his fiancée Mary. When the song changed Remus stepped away and said:

"I'll go get myself a drink." Remus said politely. He didn't want to be rude but he just couldn't keep dancing with her. It was too awkward and the minutes seemed to be hours. He walked to the table and poured his glass with fresh water and when he turned to look at the dancers he saw Tonks dancing with a young man. He could feel his stomach twitching. Tonks noticed him and smiled at him, as she got distracted she stepped on the man's foot.

"Oh sorry!" She apologized to the young man who seemed a bit annoyed. _What a git_, Remus thought.

She looked again at Remus and he couldn't help but feeling proud that this young woman, _Nymphadora Tonks,_ was dancing with a young man but she kept looking at him, Remus Lupin an old werewolf. Suddenly he felt a bit selfish and guilty for thinking this way. She deserved somebody young, like the man who was dancing with her… no, better than the man who was dancing with her. Tonks looked at him again and stuck her tongue at him. Well, for tonight he'd forget all the reasons he should stay away from her.

"Dance with me!" Remus said laughing lightly.

"Really?" She asked surprised, still dancing with the young man who was getting more and more annoyed by her lack of concentration. Remus nodded and she got closer to the man, said something he couldn't hear from where he was. He thought she would ask him but of course, he'd refuse, wouldn't he? But she didn't let him time to answer. She ran toward Remus who caught her in his arms since she was about to fall. Remus had his arms around her, pulling her close to him trying to steady her but the fact that they were both laughing wasn't helping at all.

"Careful." Remus said laughing lightly.

"Sorry!" She said still laughing. He took her hand in his and left his other hand on the small of her back and they danced. Remus quickly glanced at the young man, he was walking away looking at them quite angrily.

"I think I'm keeping you with me, now." Remus said pulling her even closer to him. She chuckled and backed her head away a little to look at him.

"What's that? Wolfish jealousy? Because we went on a date you think you own me?" Remus was relieved she was smiling because he realized he may had pushed the limits.

"No. Maybe. I mean, I have the right not to like the idea of you dancing with another man, haven't I?" Remus said in her ear.

"Oh. In that case, it's very practical that we're dancing together." Tonks said avoiding his eyes.

"Indeed, it is." He said and he tightened his hold on her. Then, Remus made her twirl and pulled her close to him again. Tonks stepped on his foot Remus couldn't help but chuckle.

"I've stepped on your feet again?"

"Yes." Remus said trying hard not to laugh. "But I'll survive."

"I'm so sorry." Tonks said laughing. She rested her head on his chest, her shoulders shaking with laughter. They continued dancing on the song, Remus made her twirl and sway and they couldn't help but smile or laugh every time they looked at each other. Remus noticed how it felt just right to dance with her. He didn't feel awkward if she was close to him – which she was. It felt right to have her hand in his. Everything felt right. It was like the whole world didn't exist around them and it was just the two of them having fun and dancing.

Then, the song changed and this time it was much slower.

"If I'm this close to you during the whole song, I'm afraid your feet will run away with or without your consent." Tonks said and then bit her lip avoiding his eyes.

"I have an idea." Remus said pulling away a little to tell her. "How about you place your feet on mine, this way you won't even have to move."

"I'm gonna crush your feet!" She said her eyes opened wide.

"No, Nymphadora." Remus said with a mischievous smile. "Let's try." He said and he helped her on his feet. She almost fell backward and he held her tightly against his chest. She laughed again and Remus couldn't help but laugh with her. He helped her to stay on her feet and he moved his a bit awkwardly so that they seemed to be dancing.

"No need to crush my hand, though." He said trying to keep a straight face.

"Sorry but I'd rather not fall in front of everyone." She said blushing lightly.

"You won't fall." He tightened his hold on her. He started stroking her back with his thumb. "I'm holding you, you won't fall." He said in her ear. She stopped crushing his hand and placed her other arm behind his neck. He kissed her hair. _Damn._ Couldn't he try to think a bit? Each time he was close to her, it was like his brain stopped working. At least, she didn't slap him in the face. She even slid her free hand a bit higher so that her fingers could touch his hair.

The song changed and they looked at each other a bit awkwardly. They walked to the table and took a drink. They sat next to each other and looked at the other people dancing. James was trying to get Lily to dance with him but she was talking with Annabeth. _Shit_. Lily would kill him. He hadn't even cared about where she had gone after they had danced.

"You can go talk to her if you want to. You're not forced to stay with me." Tonks said with a polite smile. Remus turned to look at her surprised.

"Beg your pardon?" Remus said.

"You can go talk to her. I saw you looking at her. I want you to know you're not forced to stay with me to be polite." Tonks repeated.

"Who?" Remus asked still not really understanding what she was saying.

"Annabeth."

"Why would I want to go talk to her?" Remus asked an eyebrow rose in misunderstanding.

"Well that's in _your _mind, Remus. I don't know everything, I'm not a legitimens." She said with a chuckle.

"But I _don't_ want to go talk to her. I mean, she's a nice person… I guess." He said a bit awkwardly. "I'd rather stay with you, if you don't mind."

"Oh." It was almost inaudible. Remus lips curled up in a smile.

"Wolfish jealousy?"

"What? No!" Her answer was too quick to be true.

"Really? It really sounded like it." He said pushing her shoulder gently.

"I'm not jealous." She said rolling her eyes but when she looked back at him she blushed and looked away laughing lightly.

"If you weren't, I apologize. In any case, I have something to ask you, Nymphadora." He said. She looked up waiting for him to continue. "I wondered if you would like to spend Saturday's evening with me, if you have nothing planned. I'd understand if you had, you must have actually, but, I don't know why I didn't ask you earlier. You really must have better thing to do rather than spend the night with me, I understand if you can't." _Shut up_. He had rambled so much he even doubted he had even asked her. Nymphadora looked at him slightly surprised and apparently trying not to laugh but failed after she saw him blushing from embarrassment.

"I'd love to spend the evening with you, Remus." She answered after she had stopped laughing. "Do you know what we're going to do?"

"I do have my idea, but I'd rather let it be a surprise." Remus said feeling his confidence coming back.

"Like last time?"

"Indeed, though it is going to be better than the restaurant I had taken you to." Remus said playing with a wire hood.

"It was a very lovely place. And actually, for the record, you are the only one who ever thought of letting things be a surprise and not taking me directly to a bar."

"I didn't do much." Remus said feeling his cheeks burn.

"Maybe, but you've treated me correctly." She said looking at her hands.

"Correctly?" Remus asked surprised.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, tell me, what did you mean?" Remus asked looking at her. She looked up at his eyes and he could just tell that she was going to be serious and it was important for her. "If you don't want to tell me, I won't push you. But if you want to tell me, I'll be glad to listen to you." He said with a tiny smile. She looked at him several seconds as if trying a proof that he was lying but apparently didn't find anything. She looked back at her hands and without looking at him she took the wire hood Remus was playing with.

"It's just… you know… guys." She said hesitantly. Remus didn't say anything but waited for her to continue, looking at her slim fingers playing with the little thing. She had pink nail polish. It suited her well. "It's just that, I haven't been very lucky before. Not all the time, but twice in a row." She paused. "In just a few words, they both wanted to be with me for my morphing ability. So if you wanted to have your fantasy realized because I can look like anyone you'd like, you're screwed. I've had enough of this shit." She said laughing lightly.

"I've never wanted to use you in any way, Nymphadora. I know we don't know each other since very long but I assure you, you can trust me when I say that."

"They all said that at some point." She said with a sarcastic laugh. Remus took the wire hood from her hand lingeringly so that his fingers were brushing hers. He made a chair of the little wire and placed it in front of her.

"How about we leave now?" Remus asked leaning closer.

"Really?" Tonks asked surprised.

"If you don't want to, we can stay."

"No, I'd love to go now, I mean, the party's great, uh, but..." Tonks said with a wide smile

"Alright, I'll tell Sirius I'm feeling tired and I want to go home." Remus said and he walked away.

Sirius said he was sorry his friend couldn't stay any longer but he was a bit tipsy and started laughing again when he saw James trying to cast a spell on Kingsley.

When he walked back to the door, he walked just next to Tonks and said "I'll wait for you in the street." And so he did, he waited 10 minutes in the street, starting to wonder if she had changed her mind but she stormed out of the house with a wide smile on her face.

"I told Lily I was tired. Sirius was… busy." She said frowning.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Remus asked as they walked in the quiet street. The only sound was the music from Sirius's house.

"Yeah, we could walk." She said a bit hesitantly. Remus nodded with a smile and they kept walking in the village. It was quite a big village so they'd have time for them and that was what Remus wanted most. Just being with her, talking with her, seeing her laugh at his bad jokes and all the little things. He felt angry just to know that some guys would just try to be with her because she could change her appearance. Sometimes, Remus forgot that pink wasn't her natural colour.

"Next time, we'll improve our new dance technic." Remus said walking closer to her.

"Next time?" She said with a mischievous smile.

"Well, if I hoped they would be a next time but if you don't want to.." Remus said with a hopeful smile.

"We _ought_ to improve our technic; of course they'll be a next time." She said elbowing him gently.

"Good. You'll have to concentrate." He said on a professorish tone. "I've noticed you weren't very concentrated when you were dancing with the other guy."

"I was distracted by someone else."

"Oh, really?"

"Hmm hmm. You can be very distracting sometimes."

"Well, I hope that when you dance with me, there's no one else to distract you."

"Nope. Strangely enough, I'm not so distracted when I'm with you." She said looking at him biting her lips. Remus let out a relieved sight he hadn't realized he was holding. "How about we try now?" Tonks asked looking at him expectantly.

"Now? Here?" Remus asked surprised.

"Well, I think I fancy dancing in the middle of the street." She said laughing lightly. "There's no one around." She added pacing in front of him.

"Alright. And we can still hear a bit of the music." Remus said with a smile on his face. He reached out his hand and waited for her to take it. When she did he was about to help her on his feet again but she shook her head.

"How about you teach me how to dance?" She said shyly. He looked at her, looking straight into her dark eyes. He noticed her pink hair falling on her eyes and he couldn't help but smile.

"Alright. Place your hand." He said as he placed his on her waist. "I'll lead; you'll see it's simple."

"But I'm dead clumsy!" She said looking at her feet.

"Don't look at your feet." He said quietly. She looked at him in the eyes but then looked at her hand placed on his shoulder. "Then, just follow me, alright?" He started moving his feet, slowly from right to left and they slowly danced. "See? You can do it." He said in her ear. She stepped once or twice on his feet but she didn't say anything and neither did he.

They kept dancing for hours or minutes, Remus couldn't tell. It felt as if the time had stopped. They laughed if they'd miss a step but then they found their routine and Tonks had rested her head on his chest.

Tonks shivered and Remus drew away a little.

"Maybe I should really take you home. You're going to get cold and unfortunately I didn't bring my jacket."

"Alright." She said and Remus was sure he had felt disappointment in her voice.

They walked a bit and once they were out of the village they disapparated to her flat building. They walked the stairs silently, their hands brushing as they walked.

Too soon – for Remus – they were at her door. She opened the door and turned to say goodbye to him.

"I had a great night." She said in a quiet voice.

"Sirius still knows how to make a party." Remus answered looking away.

"You know what I mean." She said shaking her head. She took a step closer and tiptoed to give him a kiss on the cheek. She lingered, placing her hand on his shoulder to steady herself. Remus couldn't help but put his arm around her waist, stroking the small of her back lightly. She rested her chin on his shoulder and they were holding on each other.

She drew away a little, their nose were almost touching. Her eyes were so beautiful: they were a dark brown with amber highlights. She had a pink hair fringe that Remus was actually really fond of now. He looked at her lips: bad idea. _Very_ bad idea. She had pink lips that he only wanted to taste, to kiss, to know everything about. He looked up at her eyes and she smiled. Remus made a step backward and cleared his throat.

"I should go." Remus said awkwardly. Why did he do that? _Damn. _Why didn't he just kiss her. Well, maybe he was getting everything all wrong and she would have slapped him in the face.

"Well.. uh.. yeah."

"Goodnight, Nymphadora." He said.

"Goodnight and don't call me Nymphadora, Remus." She said and he disapparated.

Later, in his bed, Remus couldn't help but smile. He hoped Sirius would never try distanced legitimency because he'd definitely tear him into pieces and eat them all for dinner.

* * *

_Hey! Sorry I know I'm late. It's kind of complicated, I've been very busy. I'll try to update again soon because I won't be able to update next week. So I'll try my best!_

_So, I hope you like this one! Tell me what you think of it. Don't hesitate to tell me what you like/dislike. Your reviews are always very helpful._

_xx_


	5. A smile

Just two evenings after the party, Remus received an owl from Lily asking to meet for a coffee on Tuesday, two days after the full moon and the day before Remus would meet Nymphadora.

The days when he didn't see her where long and he knew he was acting like a silly teenager. But he couldn't help it; he grew fond of her slowly but with so much force. It was scary and amazing at the same time.

He met Lily in a small café _sandwicherie_. As he walked on the sidewalk along the café's windows he saw Lily reading a book. She had her long ginger hair falling on one side, her hand holding her fringe so she could still see her book. When he was a kid, Remus thought he had fancied her for some time but now it only made him laugh. Now when he saw her, he looked at her like a sister. He entered the café and sat in front of her directly.

"Hello, Lily." Remus said.

"Hey, Remus. How are you doing?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"I'm fine. James's spending the day with Harry today, so I'm on my own." She said smiling at him kindly. "I ordered two coffees by the way."

"Thank you."

"So what did you think of Annabeth?" Lily asked closing her books and placing both her hands on it.

"At least you're very going straight into the matter." Remus said laughing lightly. "But you know exactly what I think: I think the same as the time before, and as the time before that one."

"I'm only trying to help you!"

"I don't need help."

"But you're being difficult as always." She said oblivious to what he had just said.

"_I _am being difficult? Do I need to remember you the one who hated animals? Do I need to remember you that I turn into one once a month."

"Alright, I may have made a mistake with Jenna but the others, really?"

"There was this one who hated everything I liked. It wasn't really easy to make conversation with her."

"Alright, I get it."

"You'll stop?"

"I will." She said looking at the waiter coming with their two coffees. She was finally stopping this, all the times they had had this conversation but she'd say she had another person to introduce him first.

"Anyway, where are James and Harry going?"

"Hiking, I think. I told James that he had to get Harry back in one piece."

"And what did he say?" Remus said with a smile, having his own idea about what his friend would say.

"'And what about me?' He's not changed at all!" Lily said shaking her head slightly.

"No he hasn't." Remus glanced behind Lily and he noticed a young woman coming in. It wasn't _any_ woman, it was Nymphadora Tonks. It had to be his lucky day. He didn't know if she would see him since she looked quite in a hurry. She was wearing her Auror cloak and patched jeans under it, and a yellow sweatshirt. She walked quickly to the bar and asked for a sandwich.

"Hello, Nymphadora." Remus said looking at her with a mischievous smile. She turned around and when she set her eyes on him her smile widened.

"Remus!" She said quite joyfully. He got up and she looked at Lily. "Hello, Lily. How are you two doing?" She asked still wearing that beautiful smile on her face.

"Fine, lunch break?" Lily asked.

"Yeah. Mad-Eye kept me for a report and now I only have half an hour left!" Tonks looked back at Remus and it was like there were just the two of them in the world now.

"Well, the day can only get better." Remus said with a smile.

"Yes. Tomorrow's lunch break should be better." She said airily but Remus knew she meant that they'd be together. She glanced at him biting her lips and Remus just wanted to kiss her. _Don't look at her lips_.

"Your sandwich, miss!" The waiter said behind the bar breaking Remus from his reverie.

"Do you want to sit with us?" Remus said gesturing toward the table where Lily was looking at them with a smile.

"No, I don't have much time, thanks for the offer. I'll eat in my office or on my way back." She said looking at both of them.

"Are you sure?" Lily said.

"Yeah, sorry." She said. Remus realized he had had his hand on her forearm all along. She slid her arm from his grip until it was her hand in his but as soon as he felt her touch it was already gone. "I was just wondering, did Sirius find his trousers back after I left?" Lily laughed and Remus looked at them frowning.

"I forgot to tell you but when I left, Sirius was looking for his trousers." Tonks told him and she stepped closer to him. He just wanted to put his arm around her or hold her tight. Damn, they had been dancing too much that night because now he only wanted to hold her just as he had done when they danced in the street.

"He found them, with James's help." Lily answered with an amused smile. "How are we supposed to tell the kids to behave when we see how our parties end?"

"At least they weren't there." Remus said laughing and Tonks looked at him smiling tenderly. He could be looking into her eyes forever.

"By the way, I wonder why Harry's so eager to do another sleepover with Ron, Fred and George."

"Fred and George, indeed, you can worry." Remus said with a smile.

"They're the twins, right?" Tonks asked. Lily nodded. "I remember when I latest met them, Arthur wanted to show me one of his muggle artefacts if I could tell him what it was for and they were in the backyard and I think I heard explosion sounds. Arthur told me not to worry, though."

"I think they got used to it." Remus said. Lily shook her head – no doubt she wondered what her son had been doing and how dangerous it was to let him with his father – king of mischief – alone for a whole afternoon. "But Lily, you should prepare yourself to the idea that your son is soon to be Marauder."

"Merlin, no!" She said laughing but Remus doubted she meant it.

"Why don't you want him to be a Marauder? I thought it was fun." Tonks said frowning lightly.

"I'll explain to you." Remus said leaning close when he spoke.

"I really should go, now." Tonks said and Remus couldn't help but let a "oh" of disappointment. "Have a good afternoon." She said looking from Lily to Remus.

"Thanks, you too." Lily said with a kind smile.

"You too, be nice with Mad-Eye." Remus said punching her lightly on the arm with his elbow.

"He's the one who should be nice with me!" She said and she pouted like a kid.

"I know, Nymphadora, I know." He tapped the top of her head and he moved her fringe away from her eyes and then remembered that Lily was just next to them. Tonks laughed and she wished them a good afternoon again. She walked away and he sat down but his eyes were following her. When she was at the door of the café she turned around and waved at him, he waved back and couldn't help but smile. He would have loved to have her with them.

"Tonks is a nice girl." Lily said casually.

"Yes, she is." Remus said and he took a sip of his coffee.

"Remus." Lily just said looking at him straight in the eyes. He hated when she did that.

"Yes, Lily?"

"I know you and I know when you like someone." _Damn._

"Of course I like her, she's a very nice person."

"You know I didn't mean it that way. And anyway, I saw you at the party."

"What did you see?"

"I saw you, dancing with her, laughing with her, talking with her…"

"Like I said, she's a nice person and I thought you were angry that I didn't speak with Annabeth."

"Yeah, and the way you look at her? How long?"

"How long, what?"

"How long have you been seeing each other? Because, trust me, she looks at you the same way you look at her."

"I'm not seeing –" Remus started but Lily shot him a death glare. "Alright, I've seen her a few times.."

"Really? That's great!" She said with a wide smile. "Does Sirius know?"

"Nope." Remus said trying to sound casual and he took a sip of his coffee.

"Why?"

"Because I'm thirteen years older than his cousin, because he knows that I'm not good enough for her."

"Why wouldn't you be good enough for her?"

"I'm a werewolf, of course I'm not."

"Don't be daft." Lily said shaking her head. "She seems to like you a lot."

"For now she does, maybe, but it won't take long until she realizes that she can't seriously be with me."

"Remus, you have to stop this!"

"I'm not exaggerating, I'm being realistic and I'm preparing myself for what will eventually come."

"So why do you waste your time seeing her?" She asked clearly annoyed.

"Because I like being with her, and I enjoy it as long as it lasts."

"And what if it actually _lasts_?"

"I'll be lucky." Remus said allowing himself to think that it could last and maybe she'd like to be with him.

"When the next time you're going to see her?"

"Tomorrow, for lunch."

"You're really seeing each other, then!" Lily said with a wide smile again.

"Yeah, yes kind of."

"Have you already taken her for a date?"

"Yes, I have."

"When?" Lily asked resting her head in her hands.

"You're very curious." Remus said smiling. She looked at him the same way she used to do when she was 17.

"I'm glad you found someone. So, when?"

"Two weeks ago."

"And what did you do? Come on Remus! Stop playing that game with me! I know you're dying to tell me." She said playing with her cup now.

"We went to the restaurant, and then we went to see an old muggle movie and I took her back home."

"You were inspired!" Lily said.

"She was. She knew the movie theatre and when she told me about and I offered to go see one."

"That's very nice, you must like her very much!"

"Lily…"

"I wasn't asking. It was an affirmation." She said with her proudest smile.

They continued talking a little and Remus tried to change the subject. He didn't like to talk about his sentimental life. And the more he talked about it, the more real it felt and he was scared to start to believe in it and then be completely broken when she'd leave him. But every time he was with her he forgot all about that and she was the only person he could see.

"Anyway, what do you think of Sirius's house?" Remus asked trying to change the subject.

"I think it's a nice house and it's a quiet neighbourhood."

"Indeed, not a lot of people in the streets." Remus said thinking about the moment he danced with Tonks in the street. "Have you seen how many rooms they have? I won't be surprised if Mary tells us she's pregnant in a few months." Lily looked down at her hands and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I'm really stupid." Remus said as he placed his hand on her forearm.

"It's fine, Remus. I have to accept it." She said looking up at him quickly. "It's not like I didn't have the chance to have any kids. I have Harry." She paused and looked at the floor. "I'll be happy for Sirius and Mary the day they'll have kids and I really hope they _will_ have kids. I hope you will have kids too. I have to accept that I can't have any more kids now." She paused again. "We all paid a price to win the war."

"Indeed." Remus thought about the war. Those dark years. He had spent more than a year spying on werewolves and it was for sure the worst time of his life. Lily had been attacked by a death eater – a very wicked one – who didn't mind sending curses after curses on Lily. It was Bellatrix Lestrange, she had turned the Longbottoms into madness with the Cruciatus curse. But Lily didn't fall into madness but she had to go to the hospital and when she woke up they told she could never have children anymore. It took her a long time to cope with the news and James had lived the darkest hours of their couple. Lily was close to depression because she was scared that James would stop loving her if she couldn't have more children. He was a unique child and had always wanted a big family. Of course, James never stopped loving her – if anything; he had only loved her more.

The next day he'd spend his lunch break with Nymphadora Tonks. His boss even made fun of him saying that he seemed "way too happy for a Wednesday morning". They agreed to meet at the Three Broomsticks and Remus was the first to arrive. He ordered for her, since he remembered her saying that she always ordered the same thing at this place. He had taken the Daily Prophet to read and then he felt two hands on his eyes.

"Guess who?" Tonks asked. He smiled to himself and said:

"I don't know, Annabeth?" He answered.

"Hey!"

"Of course I know it's you, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus." She said as she moved her hands away from his eyes. She sat in front of him and he realized he had even liked the touch of her hands. _Merlin, he was ridiculous._

"Aren't we over this?"

"No." She said with a smile. "I'll go order." She said putting off her cloak.

"I ordered for you." Remus said smiling. Just as he said these words, a waiter came with two plates.

"Normal cheese burger?"

"That's for me, thank you." Remus said as she placed the plate in front of him.

"And the Cheese burger, without tomat, without ketchup, extra onions, extra mustard is for you, I suppose." She said as she placed the plate in front of Tonks. "And two butterbeers."

"Yes, thank you." Nymphadora answered politely. "Damn, you got it right!" She said looking at Remus surprised.

"I wouldn't have ordered if I couldn't remember what you'd take." He said and took a sip of his drink.

"I can't believe you remember." She said smiling at him tenderly.

They ate and they told each other about their days, Remus liked listening to her stories. And she listened to his stories commenting and laughing. She made him feel interesting. They took a piece of chocolate cake for both of them and Remus didn't mind sharing chocolate this time.

"It was nice seeing you yesterday." She said.

"Indeed, it was." Remus said smiling. "I'm glad Mad-Eye didn't force you to stay half an hour more today."

"I wouldn't have let him, one day's enough!" She asked. Remus smiled at her and she raised her fingers and took a breath before she asked: "Why doesn't Lily want Harry to be a Marauder?" Remus laughed.

"Well, she may have witnessed James, Sirius and I misbehaving."

"If you think you're not going to tell me some stories, you are very wrong Mr Lupin." She said cheekily.

"Well, what can I say, there are so many of them."

"Pick one. An embarrassing one would be fine."

"I'm not telling an embarrassing story if I'm the main character in it."

"What? You want to impress me telling me a story where you're a strong man?" She said still cheekily.

"Well, indeed, maybe I wanted to impress you." Remus said truthfully she looked taken aback but touched.

"Well, there's no need to." She said. Remus wondered what she meant. Did she mean that he could never impress her anyway? "You're doing just fine so far. And for your information, I'm not the kind of girl you'll impress with some stories."

"Well, I'm glad because most of my Hogwarts years were spent behind a book and when I wasn't I was planning something some mischief but I wasn't the cool one. James and Sirius were." She looked at him expectantly. "Well, one day after we had made the map."

"I found it, by the way. Thank you." She said quickly. Remus couldn't help but smile at her.

"Indeed, it is very helpful, isn't it? So, what we did was to make Filch going mad. We had charmed some objects that would explode or make some noise, we had managed to make students voices noise or walking steps. And we'd watch his name on the map he'd run all around the castle. And you know he never stopped, he never found anything but he never stopped."

"You know I kind of made the same thing? But we made some stuff explode in the other side of the castle and we got into his office and we moved everything. Then, later we walked in the corridor of his office and we saw him getting mad."

"That was a good idea." Remus said with a smile on his face.

"We would have made a good team." She said tenderly.

She was about to take a spoon of her cake and so was Remus. They both drew back and said at the same time:

"Sorry." They looked awkwardly for a second and then laughed.

"Ladies first." Remus said.

"Thank you." She said and she took a spoon of the chocolate cake and handed it to him. He let her put it in his mouth gently and he was lost in her dark eyes looking at him.

"Thank you." He said after he had swallowed.

"My pleasure." She said. Just after they had asked for a coffee, Tonks got up.

"I need to go to the bathroom." She said. She walked along the table when another man walked past her and pushed her. "Bugger" she cursed and she lost her balance and started falling but Remus tried to catch her and she fell on his lap. "Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry." She said hiding her face in her hands. As if his arms really had a mind of their own, he wrapped them around her.

"Don't be." He said and he stroked her back. She turned her head looking pleasingly surprised. "I'd rather have you here, rather than on the floor." He noticed she seemed a bit disappointed and he realized that she must have thought that he meant he had just done this to be polite and didn't really like having her sitting on his lap – but _damn_ did he liked this situation. He tightened his hold on her and smiled at her kindly and she seemed to understand. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for catching me." She said and she got up, and walked to the bathroom. He already missed having her so close.

"Oh damn, time flies! I have to go back to work." She said looking at the wall behind him were a clock was hung. Remus turned around and noticed it was ten to two.

"Well, me too." Remus said. He took some money from his pocket and placed it on the table. Tonks looked into her pockets for several seconds and Remus put enough money for both of them. "It's fine. This is for me."

"No, I have some money. It's supposed to be there." She said dipping her hand in her pocket.

"If you want, you'll pay me back next time, alright?" He said without meaning it at all. He didn't mind paying for her but he knew she didn't feel comfortable when he invited her.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I'm really sorry! It's not a trick, I do have some money." She said a bit embarrassed.

"It's fine, really" Remus insisted as he got up. He opened the door for her and they walked a few meters to stop and stand looking at each other.

"The hour seemed ridiculously to last less than the hour I spent doing office work." She said and she threw her hands in the air as if showing her disappointment, Remus caught her hand before it fell on her side. He traced small patterns on the back of her hand. She looked from his eyes to his hand surprised of the kind gesture. He stepped closer and with his other hand he brushed her pink fringe away and leaned closer to give her a kiss on the forehead lingeringly. He backed away a little just to rest his forehead on hers and he noticed that she was completely at loss of words or any response – except for the light blush on her cheeks. He smiled mischievously and he moved closer to her ear.

"We're both going to be late, Nymphadora." He said.

"Yeah, right." She said shaking her head a little. "Have a good day, Remus." She said about to walk away but he didn't let go of her hand. She looked from her hand to his face again. "What?" She asked laughing lightly. Remus didn't answer and pulled her toward him. He let go of her hand but, instead, he placed it on her cheek, stroking her skin, and he placed a kiss on the other making her lose her balance a little, standing on one foot only.

"I thought we were going to be late." She said laughing. He pulled his lips away from her cheek, just a few inches away to say:

"Do you mind?"

"No." She said still laughing a little. He laughed this laugh, it was different. It was a little embarrassed but pleased. He gave her another kiss and eventually let go of her. "That's it?" She said mischievously when he was facing her again.

"Don't tempt me." Remus said trying to keep his voice steady but he knew he sounded just as flirtatious as she did.

"I didn't know Remus Lupin could be tempted."

"Now, now, Nymphadora. You really are going to be late, and so am I." He said dipping his hand deep his pockets.

"See you Saturday?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'll take you around half past seven? What do you say?"

"Perfect." She said and she offered him one last smile. Not a simple smile, a real tender smile. Somehow things had changed between them: it was more than clear that they weren't only friends and getting closer to each other made them feel both light hearted.

* * *

_Hello! I was a bit long to update, sorry it was some busy weeks! My last exam is tomorrow so I should update more often now :) _

_I hope you like this one. There's not much happening but I want to show how they get closer and closer you know. But anyway, if you have any question, anything to say, if you want to say what you like/dislike : don't hesitate and review! :)_

_I always love your reviews! :)_


	6. Mr Pouterson

Remus had prepared his evening with Tonks quite perfectly. He had thought everything over and over during his afternoon just to be sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Before leaving, he chose his clothes carefully. He wanted to make an effort without looking over dressed. He put his grey trousers and a white shirt with a black tie. He took his jacket but did not wear it, he looked at himself in the mirror: he wondered how someone as beautiful as Nymphadora Tonks could accept to go on a date with him. But she had chosen to come with him tonight and just the idea put a smile on his face. He took the bouquet of flowers waiting on the table, headed for Tonks's flat, and knocked on the door at half past seven. Remus could hear a loud crash and then:

"Shit!" Had she forgotten they had something planned and just realized that it was the time they had decided to meet? Had she planned something else with someone else? A man, of course. Younger, for sure. A colleague maybe. Remus was ridiculous being here, wearing a tie – he knew he shouldn't have worn a tie – and the flowers. Would she like the flowers? Tonks was such a surprising woman maybe she hated flowers actually.

The door opened suddenly and the young lady behind just stood smiling wearing one shoe and holding the other one in her hand. She had decided to wear her hair spiky short and bubblegum pink, which made her look even lovelier. She was wearing a loose purple skirt and black shorts. Remus couldn't get his eyes off of her.

"Hey." She said with a kind smile. She was breathing heavily as if she had ran a marathon just before.

"Am I too early? Do you want me to come later?" Remus said feeling the blush coming onto his cheeks.

"No, no. I'm sorry it's just that one of my friends gave me her cat because she's on vacation and well… come in." She said quickly and she gestured him inside. "He, Mr Pouterson, peed on the carpet."

"Pouterson, uh?"

"Yeah, because apparently when you try to scold him he makes a puppy face, if I can say so, and you don't want to tell him anything anymore. You know, pout… Pouterson." Nymphadora explained.

"Oh, well, where's the beast?"

"He's there." Tonks pointed to a big grey cat climbing lazily on the settee. "Bad, Mr Pouterson! You do not have the right to pee on the carpet! If you try one more time I swear I'll lock you in the bathroom. Do we agree?" The cat meowed and Remus couldn't hold his laughter anymore and he hid behind his hand. "Remus John Lupin, are you making fun of me?" Tonks asked grinning but waiting for an answer, or maybe just waiting for him to stop laughing.

"No, no I'm not. I'm sorry." Remus said still trying to shut some snickers. "I mean, the way you scold this cat is…"

"Is what?" Tonks asked raising her eyebrows. Damn he had to get this answer right.

"It's… impressive. I mean, on a cat scale, it must have been an 8." Remus said trying to sound serious. Tonks looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Be careful, I adapt myself when I'm on human scale."

"Of course." Remus said and he nudged her playfully. "Oh, by the way… This… this is for you." He handed her the bouquet of pink, purple and white daisies.

"Thank you, they're lovely." Tonks said taking the flowers from his hand; their fingers brushed one another. She was holding a shoe in her hand and the bouquet in the other one. They looked at each other smiling like two teenagers who didn't know how to act. Nymphadora was biting her lips the same way she always did when she was nervous and she kept looking at away quickly before looking at him again while Remus dipped his hands in his pocket and then nervously took one out of it to mess up his hair just as nervously. The cat meowed again. Tonks turned her head toward the cat and frowned.

"Can you just shut up sometimes?" Tonks said pointing to the cat. "He kept meowing last night." She said and turned to Remus. "Anyway, tonight I'll forget about this cat. You hear Mr. Pouterson? You're alone, tonight." Remus smiled tenderly as he looked at her and found her more and more endearing every second even if she was absolutely ridiculous scolding a cat with a shoe and a bouquet of flower. She walked to the kitchen and found a big glass to put the flowers in and placed them in the centre of her table. She walked back to the living room and she put on her shoe, only now Remus noticed that she was wearing green sneakers. She tied the shoelaces quickly and got up smiling widely. "I'm ready, now!"

"Great. You look absolutely lovely by the way." Remus said.

"Oh.. thanks." She said blushing. "You look, well, you're handsome as always." She said and she played with his tie between her fingers.

"You do know you don't have to give the compliment back when I tell you one, right?" Remus said mischievously - though he meant it: he was sure he was nothing close to handsome - and he noticed she blushed even more. He knew he was being mean, right now but he couldn't help it, he loved to see her blush.

"I'm sorry next time I'll try to be the first to give a compliment." She said and she stuck her tongue at him. "But you do know it's not because I don't say it first that I don't mean it, right?"

Remus didn't answer but gave her a kiss on the temple.

"So, are we leaving or do we stay and make a show for Mr Pouterson?" Remus asked offering his hand.

"Please, take me away from this cat. He's making me crazy." Tonks took his hand.

"Alright, I'll save you." Remus said with a smile and held her hand. Her hand fitted his perfectly. She had thin warm hands and Remus wondered if he would ever let go of her. They walked out of her flat and Tonks warned the big lazy cat one more time and waved at him before she closed the door. She had to let go of his hand when she locked the door but she took it again when they walked.

"Where are we going?" Tonks asked as they walked.

"That's a surprise." Remus said amusedly.

"Come on." She said child-likely.

"How about you lead me to the closest place where we can disapparate?"

They walked to a narrow street and Remus disapparated to the place he wanted to take her. Just a second and they were there. Either she'd like it, or she'd hate it. Remus looked around at the familiar woods. There were tall trees and fields far away. The sunlight was making its way through the branches and the leaves.

"Where are we?" she asked hesitantly. _Oh shit_, she wouldn't like it_. Of course._

"In a muggle wood I know very well. It's a cleared space." The sky was clear; Remus had checked the weather first. He didn't let go of her hand – afraid that once he would, he'd never have the chance to take it back – but he took his wand and silently casted some spells that made the next part of his surprise appear. A grey blanket was on the floor with a basket on it. He had planned everything, how he'd managed to get some lights when the sun would go down and the basket was charmed to keep the food at a constant temperature. He had taken another blanket if she was cold, too.

Tonks didn't say anything, she looked at everything, her mouth slightly opened in surprised but then she looked at him. Remus was very scared she'd laugh at him saying it was pathetic. And he was sure he was blushing. _You're thirty five, Remus._ _You're a grown man. You do not blush._

"You planned all this?" Tonks asked, not letting go of his hand. _It couldn't be a bad sign, could it?_

"Yeah… I mean, I only took some things to eat you know. I didn't do much." Remus explained; Tonks rolled her eyes.

"That's amazing, Remus. Thank you." She said and she tiptoed to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, you can sit, Miss Tonks." Remus said gesturing her to the blanket. She let go of his hand when she sat and he regretted what he had just offered. He took the advantage that he was free to move to cast the spells again around them so that no one would see or hear them. He quickly asked her if she minded – because as he thought about it, he could look like a crazy pervert – but she laughed and let him finish casting the spells. Remus sat next to her and opened the basket.

"So, we have… chicken sandwiches, beef sandwiches, and salad for dinner. What do you want?"

"Hmm…" She hesitated. "Chicken sandwich, please." Remus picked one for her and handed it. "Thank you."

"It's not much, really." Remus said feeling ashamed of offering sandwiches to her.

"It's perfect." She said and she bit into her sandwich. "Hmm!" She moaned her mouth full and after she swallowed she said: "Damn! That's good!"

"We have butterbeers, water, wine and orange juice, too."

"Hmm… I'll take a butterbeer, please." She said. Remus took two bottles from the basket and took a beef sandwich for himself. He had tried to make them not too simple – actually he had tried really hard to make everything great but now that she was here he had the impression that it was not enough.

"So, how was your day?" Remus asked after he took a sip of his butterbeer.

"Fine." She said half-heartedly. Remus raised an eyebrow and she went on: "it's just… there's a woman who I'm trying to help since quite a long time. She… she's getting beaten by her husband and I'm trying to build a good case so that once I have arrested him, I'm sure he'll be in Azkaban. But he's smart. He doesn't use the cruciatus's curse, he uses way more wicked spells so that if we take his wand there won't be any real proof, you know. I saw her today, and she told me that at least he's not touching her son – he just got home from Hogwarts but she said that she'd leave him to her family for a moment."

"And she is scared to leave her husband, too?" Remus asked on a quiet tone.

"Yes. She says that if she leaves he'll get even crazier and she's scared of what he'd do." Remus nodded and she continued "I'm getting closer. I really am. I'm working on the spells he used, I studied them. I writing an essay for the judge to prove that it can be use violently."

"You'll succeed." Remus said and she gave him a small smile. "I believe in you."

"Maybe I'm not competent enough for this."

"You are."

"And how would you know?" She asked a bit aggressively but Remus didn't really mind because he knew that it was because she had had a hard day. "I'm sorry." She whispered quickly.

"It's fine." He said and he lifted her chin up. "Look at me," he said. "If this woman came to you, it's because she trusts you to succeed. And if I tell you that you're competent enough it's because I noticed that you are clever and smart and you always succeed to prove your point so yes, I believe in you. And I have reasons to believe in you." He leaned closer and kissed her forehead.

"Thanks." She murmured and he smiled at her. She took another bite of her sandwich and looked at him smiling. "How about we talk about something else?"

"If you wish." Remus said smiling. "But if you ever need someone to talk to, you know I'm here." He added.

"Thank you, Remus." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and he realized he loved this new habit. "How was _your_ day?"

"As usual, I'm afraid I don't have a fascinating life." Remus said looking down. Of course she must have found him boring. Why would a woman like her spend her time with him?

"You don't need a fascinating life to be interesting." She said as if it was obvious. "Well, do you want to play a game?"

"Why not."

"It's not really a game, but I ask you a question you answer and you can ask me a question and vice-versa. If you don't answer I have the right to ask you another one."

"Alright, ladies first." Remus said smiling. She sat more comfortable, folding her legs under her, on the side of Remus.

"A basic one, what's your favourite colour?"

"I don't really have one. I've never thought about it. And I'm afraid I don't wear much colours." Remus said looking down at his grey trousers.

"It suits you, though." Tonks said. Remus realized that she had her hand on his knee and suddenly felt self-conscious. He tried to think about something else and said: "What's yours?"

"I'm wearing it." She said as she pointed to her hair.

"Pink definitely looks great on you." He said and as if his body was disconnected from his brain, he reached for her hair and ran his fingers through her hair, moving her fringe on one side but when he realized what he was doing he moved his hand. "Do you always wear your hair pink?"

"No, yesterday I had morphed it purple. I liked to change but today I was in the mood for pink." She said. Remus realized he'd always seen her in pink, or almost, not that he minded. He had seen her turn red sometimes, especially when she was embarrassed.

"You look beautiful with any colour anyway." Remus said and then realized that he had just said that aloud and he could feel his cheeks getting as pink as her hair. The good thing was that she blushed too.

"So, I'll say you answered so you can ask me a question." She said.

"I'm really bad at this. What's your favourite memory in Hogwarts?"

"That's actually not too bad, you know." She said and she punched his shoulder playfully. "hmm… I don't know. I would be lying if I said the food wasn't good." She said. "Once I stayed for the Christmas holiday because one of my friends couldn't go home and she was going to be alone so I stayed. And it was so beautiful, the snow, the Christmas trees that Hagrid had brought. We even became friends with some Gryffindor because they were two of them who had stayed too. So I think it was this quiet week would be my favourite one. And you?"

"Hmm.. I think the first evening, when I sat at the Gryffindor table and everyone greeted me as a friend. They didn't judge me. They just accepted me." Remus said and smiled at the memory. He looked up and found Nymphadora looked at him smiling tenderly and he just wanted to kiss her. "Your turn." He sais quickly trying to think about something else.

"Your favourite food?"

"Well, I don't know if it's food but I'm quite fond of chocolate." Remus said smiling.

"How stupid, of course you'd say chocolate." She said shaking her head a little.

"It's not my fault if it tastes good and if it has many different uses such as medical ones." Remus explained but Tonks laughed.

"You're right, it's not." She said laughing lightly. "I'll think about offering you a huge piece of chocolate for your birthday. When's your birthday by the way?"

"March, the 10th." Remus answered quietly.

"I'll take note." Tonks said and winked at him.

"When's yours?"

"4th of October."

"I'll take note." Remus said smiling.

They kept asking silly questions and discovering more and more about the others. Remus offered her the deserts he had brought. There was chocolate cake – at which Tonks laughed because it was made of chocolate – and raspberries pie. Remus eased himself on his forearm and noticed the sun had almost gone down. They had spoken so much he hadn't even noticed the sun setting. Tonks finished her piece of pie and lay down on the blanket. Remus took a look at her but she hid her face behind her hands.

Remus lay down next to her and they looked at each other for a moment.

"You really had a good idea." Tonks said.

"Well, I tried… I tried really hard actually to plan something good. Good enough for you."

"You don't have to do a lot to make me spend a good evening."

"I don't want you to spend an ordinary night." Remus said almost in a whisper.

"You're no ordinary man." She said and she placed her hand closer to his so that their fingers were touching. She looked back at the sky and said "So, tell me Remus Lupin, do you know something about the stars?" She asked mockingly.

"Not a lot, I'm afraid. The classical ones."

"Yeah, the one we heard every year in Astronomy?"

"Exactly." Remus said. Tonks got closer and Remus put his arm around her – he didn't think before he did but he didn't regret either. She placed her head on his shoulder so that it was more comfortable for both of them and Remus couldn't stop himself from playing with her hair. He just liked to run his fingers through her hair again and again. They tried to remember the names of the constellations and ended telling each other stories of their Astronomy classes and laugh together. Then they just remained silent for a moment, enjoying the peaceful night.

"I'll have to take you back home early, tonight, or Mr… Pouterson will scratch me, won't he?"

"I had forgotten about the cat. I'm not his owner so he might just meow flabbily." She answered. She moved closer and Remus could feel her shivering slightly.

"Are you getting cold?"

"No, I'm fine." She answered quickly.

"Are you sure? Because I've brought a blanket."

"Oh, well… maybe the blanket'd be fine." She said and laughed. He summoned the blanket from the basket and placed it on her. She looked at him, raising an eyebrow defiantly and moved it so it was covering both of them.

"Better?" He asked and she just nodded her head. Remus realized she had had a good idea trying to make them both be covered by the blanket because they had to stay close to another to remain both under it. He could try to get closer, to hold her tighter. She wouldn't reject him she was the one who gave the idea. And she didn't mind him having his arm around her so he could... right?. He moved on his side and held her closer, placing his other arm around her waist. She buried her head into the crook his neck while one of her arm was around his waist.

"Well, if Mr Pouterson only attack is to meow flabbily, I can keep you a little longer with me?" Remus asked and she answered a bit amused:

"I think you can, indeed, but anyway, I had no intention to leave, Mr Lupin." So Remus held her against him and left kisses in her hair, or on her temple. They remained in peaceful silence and he was only enjoying having her in his arms. It had never felt so right. No other woman had given Remus this feeling. It was a strange feeling, something that made him think that nothing mattered but them, just her with him: this woman who wanted to stay in his arms even if she knew what he was and what he turned into once a month. They could have stay two minutes or two hours; Remus wouldn't have made the difference: he had completely lost the track of time.

She shivered again and he was starting to feel cold too. _Shit. _He should have thought about a spell so they could have felt warm even when the night grew cold.

"Maybe I should take you home now, Nymphadora, or we're both going to be sick." He said completely unwillingly.

She moved to look at him, and Remus kissed her nose. Remus realized she hadn't say anything about him using her name.

"I'll see you for lunch, next week, if you still want to… of course." Remus said and realized that maybe she could have been scared of his gestures.

"Of course, I want to." She said frowning. Remus couldn't stop himself from kissing her forehead once more. It was as if his body had stopped listening to his brain that evening – or every time he was with her actually.

They got up and with a wave of his wand Remus put everything back in the basket. She told him she was rubbish at those spells and everything was completely crumpled and as she told him a story of how she thought her mother had gone mad because she hadn't stored clothes properly in her closet, Remus placed his jacket around her shoulders without saying anything and still listening to her story. She looked at him, stopped talking for several seconds and smiled. They talked a little before they disapparated in the narrow street near her flat.

As they walked, she wrapped her arm around his and slowly, she slid her hand along his arm brushing his hand with her fingers: he took the hint and entwined his fingers with hers. They didn't know what time it was and they didn't care much because it was the middle of summer and the nights were all bright.

Tonks let out a contentment sigh and Remus realized he had rarely felt so at ease with a woman, so happy, so peaceful and content. So he stopped walking, and when she noticed she looked at him questionably, he was thinking that he'd be stupid to let his chance walk away, so he place his free hand on her cheek and he leaned down to kiss her. He kissed her tenderly, after several seconds, she responded, and he backed away slowly waiting for her to say something. She didn't. But she tiptoed and pressed her lips against his again. Remus released his hand from hers and placed it on her neck, to her hair and kissed her more lingeringly. He kissed her in the middle of the street but he couldn't care less. Nothing in the entire wolrd felt better than kissing Nymphadora Tonks.

"I thought you'd never kiss me, Remus." She said when they broke apart.

"Now, now, Nymphadora. That isn't a very lady-like behaviour." He said as he nuzzled into her hair.

"If you wanted to kiss a lady, you didn't get the right one. Maybe you thought you'd had invited Annabeth?" She said and an eyebrow rose defiantly.

Remus kissed her tenderly, cupping her face in his hands and between kisses he said against her lips:

"Will you believe me… now… if I tell you… that _you_... and just you… are the only… one… I want?" He asked and kissed her another time.

"Hmm.. I might let myself convince." Nymphadora said and she kissed him smiling. Remus let his hands fall to her waist and he pulled her a little closer.

"If you're not wholly convinced, I shall try again."

"Please, try." She said against his lips. He kissed her again, taking his time. She let an approving moan when his hand made its way up in her hair which made Remus happy with himself – he couldn't be doing too bad, could he? She ran her fingers through his hair and stroke lightly. Nothing had ever felt so good. They kept kissing for minutes or hours, for that Remus couldn't tell. But then he remembered his manners and offered to walk her home. They side apparated to her flat; she opened the door and turned around to look at him, biting her lips shyly. He made a step toward her and cupped her face in his hands to kiss her tenderly, she leaned on the door frame, kissing him lingeringly again. He wondered how he'd manage to move his lips away from hers. They heard the cat meowing and their eyes shot opened. Mr Pouterson, the lazy big grey cat was walking out of the flat.

"Mr Pouterson, no, stay inside!" She whispered – hoping not to wake up the neighbours. But the cat didn't seem to care and kept walking. As she made her way toward the animal he walked away faster so Remus followed Mr Pouterson with her and managed to catch him. It was really a big cat.

"I think Mr Pouterson is obese." Remus said looking at the grey fluffy animal in his hands.

"Yeah, I think so too. But he's not doing anything, but apparently he decided he wanted to have a little run. I told you that if you tried to leave the flat again I'd take you your toys!" She said pointing to the cat.

Remus tried to remain serious while she scolded the cat but he couldn't and he burst out laughing. She pointed at him the same way she had pointed at the cat and stuck her tongue at him. Remus walked to the flat and placed the cat inside. Tonks closed the door quickly so that they were on the threshold again. She was smiling and looking quite happy which made Remus in the best mood possible. He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and kissed her on the temple and she laughed lightly.

"Goodnight, Nymphadora."

"Goodnight, Remus." She said still smiling. He kissed her again very tenderly and surely not long enough. He disapparated and he was sure he spent the night smiling like an idiot.

* * *

_hey everyone! I hope you like this chapter. It was quite an important one, I think. So really: tell me what you think of it. If there's anything you disliked, or liked too. If you have anything in mind: please write a little review down there. It's always very helpful, and you know I love your reviews anyway and thank you for taking to time to write them._

_Have a good day xx_

_PS: sorry about the "may" I really thought I had written "march". I mean I know it's in march so I don't know why I've written this, sorry._


	7. The first steps

It was a fine Sunday: it was sunny outside and Remus felt happy. How could he not when he had kissed Nymphadora Tonks just two evenings before. It had been quite a long time since Remus Lupin had kissed a woman, not that Lily hadn't presented him any woman… But he did not regret having kissed Tonks, he didn't think he had made a mistake, he had only thought that he'd love very much to do it again. Remus was enjoying his free day reading a book in his chair. He was reading a classic muggle book, one of his favourite that he liked to read again.

Remus was disturbed from his quiet time when someone knocked on the door – maybe James or Sirius coming over. He walked to the door and opened it preparing himself to see one of his friends. But no. No. It was Nymphadora Tonks. She looked lovely wearing tight light blue jeans and a large grey t shirt with "The Weird Sisters" written on it in purple letters. She had his jacket on her and he realized he hadn't even noticed he had forgotten it again.

"Hello, Nymphadora." Remus said smiling at the woman in front of him.

"Wotcher!" She greeted him with a wide smile on her face. As he looked at her, he remembered the feeling of her lips and – no he had to focus. She was in front of him, he had to interact and speak.

"Come in. It's a lovely surprise seeing you here." Remus said as he gestures her in.

"I came here to give you back your jacket. It felt lonely without you." She said and she grinned. Damn, he loved her smile.

"I'm sure you were there for it." Remus tightened the jacket around her shoulders, bringing her a bit closer. "It really suits you better." She rolled her eyes smiling and looked at him smiling expectantly. Remus leaned down and kissed her tenderly. He backed away just a little and said against her lips: "I have the right to…"

"Of course, silly." She said and she kissed him again.

They broke apart and looked at each other smiling, as if relieved after this kiss. Remus was a bit afraid that it would be awkward now that they had gone further the last time they had met. They had seen each other quite a few times and it was easy to be comfortable with her that he was scared that the change would make everything feel awkward.

"If I had known you were coming I would have prepared something." Remus said looking around at the kitchen. He looked down at himself and realized he wasn't wearing his best clothes either. He was wearing shabby brown trousers and a brown jumper with a white shirt under. "I would have worn something else, too. Sorry." He said.

"Are you fishing for compliments? You look great!" She said shaking her head lightly. "You look more than great." She added more quietly, looking at him smiling. She took off the jacket and placed it on the back of the sofa carefully. Remus looked down at himself one more time, as if his clothes had changed after she had said these words to him. "But I know I should have told you…" She said in a low voice. "I shouldn't have come, right? It's too soon.. I mean, I should have asked. I'm sorry, really, I shouldn't have." Remus kissed Tonks so that she stopped talking. "Sorry, I had started rambling, right?"

Remus nodded and she blushed lightly.

"Want me to make you a tour of my house? It's not as big as Sirius's but well, it's home." Remus asked. "I'll just prepare water for the tea." He said and with a wave of his wand the murmur of the boiling water seized the room.

Then, he opened his arms widely showing the main room. "This is the living room, a bit of my office too." He said as he gestured toward the desk. "and well… that's quite it." He walked to the kitchen that was opened to the main room and sheepishly showed her, and then he walked to the corridor and showed her his bedroom. He leaned on the doorframe and she stood just next to him. Tonks was holding his pinky with two of her fingers and Remus just stroked the back of her hand. "And here's my bedroom. The bathroom's in the back, if you need to, well, hum, there it is." He said pointing to the door. "It's really not big. The attic can be converted if needed but for now I don't need another room. My desk and my room are fine in the living room. But, well, it's home. It's the only thing I have." He paused looking down at the floor, lost in his thoughts. "And I can't even claim to have earned it. Sirius and James helped me a lot, I tried to give them back most of the money but they stopped accepting it a few years ago."

"It's lovely. It really is a nice house. It looks so comfy, you know?" She said with a smile, a real one. Not the kind of smiles he had often seen when people saw his house. She meant it. Remus liked how she had wrapped two of her fingers around his pinky. It was such a simple gesture but it meant so much to Remus, at the same time.

"Tea's ready." He said and she let go of his hand quickly as if the contact of his skin had just burned her. Remus walked to the kitchen and placed two cups on the table. He poured the water and he could feel Nymphadora looking at him – he'd rarely felt so self-conscious. He had the impression that the longer she'd look at him, the more flaws she'd discover about him and his appearance.

"How about we take it on the sofa? It will be more comfortable, what do you think?" He asked.

"Great. You want me to help you with the tea?"

"No, it's fine. I'll just use my wand." Remus said and with a wave of his wand the two cup slowly made their way levitating and landed on the low table in front of the settee.

"I suck at these house spells." Tonks said almost pouting as if jealous that he had managed it easily.

"I'll teach you one day." Remus said and when he heard his own voice he realized how flirtatious he sounded. _Calm down._

"Oh, really?" She said cheekily. "Remus Lupin, the professor?" She said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I was."

"Indeed, let me tell you one thing, you're good at explaining things and telling stories. You must have made a brilliant teacher."

Remus smiled at the sweet memories of being a teacher. He didn't mind his job, he was surrounded by books and it was no doubt better company that human beings – well not most of them, but not a lot of people could accept him as equal in the society. And it struck him again. There she was. Most of the people would be scared to let him just touch them, or even disgusted. But there she was. Looking at him. Smiling at him. She didn't mind his touch, quite the opposite actually. She was reaching forward to have him near her. She stuck her tongue at him because he was staring at her. She didn't like when he looked at her too long. Remus wondered why, because she was so beautiful, of course he would look at her. But she was shy – she was shy with him – how crazy.

"What are you thinking?" She asked taking his hand.

"Not much." He said blushing. She sniffed several times and said "You know what I smell? Lies." She said cheekily. "Come one, you can tell me."

"I was thinking that you're a wonderful human being, is that enough for you?" He said and she blushed.

"Well, yes." She said sheepishly. They sat in the sofa and Tonks told him about her lunch at her parents and how she met Sirius and Mary there. She told him that his dad never stopped making jokes and puns and her mother would always tell her something like "Why don't you wear your hair more a natural colour?" and that today she had had the right to "Mary's hair is really pretty, don't you think?". Remus loved listening to her stories because the fact that she was sharing them with him made him feel great – important. She told him about her Saturday at work and that she had spent such a lovely night Friday with him that she often lost concentration and Mad-Eye told her she had to keep a constant vigilance at least five times. She told him other stories about Mr Pouterson and said she was sure that he liked Remus because every time she went back home he seemed to be disappointed that she was the only one at the door. Remus told her he'd come again soon, in that case and she seemed pleased at the idea. Remus told her that he had seen James and Harry Saturday afternoon and he was sure some of James's hair had burned on the front but father and son refused to answer the question. It made her laugh and Remus felt proud. He told her the story of how Sirius had burned a strand of his hair and spent hours rambling and looking at himself in the mirror. Remus had completely lost any track of time sitting with her in the sofa. His tea had been cold quite a long time ago, now.

"Sirius's hair.." Tonks said and sighed. "When I was a kid, I wanted to turn his hair the same colour as mine. He never liked the idea. His hair is… precious."

"Precious's definitely the word." Remus said laughing lightly. They looked at each other, with a small smile stuck on their faces, and in that moment, a giant wave could have drowned the street, they wouldn't have noticed. She eventually looked away and took her cup of tea and with a tap of her wand it was warm again. Remus reached out for his cup and realized his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. _Shit._ He thought. Maybe she hadn't noticed his scars yet. He rolled them down again and took his cup.

She frowned. _Damn._ Of course, now she'd had noticed them because he had drawn her attention to his forearms. She put her cup back on the table and she took his from his and placed it just next to hers. She took one of his arms and rolled up the sleeve again. Remus made to stop her and quickly stopped her hand.

"What?" She asked on a daring tone.

"It's not…" Remus struggled to find the words and then just said the obvious. "They're ugly." He just said and he meant it. He wasn't fishing for compliments, he meant it.

"They're not." She said, not letting go of his arm. She rolled them up and he let her. She did the same with his other forearm.

"What are you going to do? Hide them? What's the point?" She asked quietly.

"I… I don't want you to realize how ugly I am. What an ugly person I am." He said avoiding her gaze.

"You, Remus Lupin," She said as she placed her hand on his cheek waiting for him to look at her in the eyes "are beautiful. Scars don't make you ugly. It is what is inside that counts. Being rude would make you ugly, being a judgmental idiot would make you ugly, too. Being mean would definitely make you ugly. But your scars don't make you ugly. A lot of things could make you look ugly to my eyes, but your scars are not one of them."

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Don't thank me. I haven't done anything." She said and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Yes, you have. You've accepted me… you've more than accepted me."

"But you accepted me, too, Remus. Let me tell you something." She said and she moved while thinking about her words. "I know I can't understand what you've lived, how people treat you but I just want you to know that you are no less than a man. As far as I know you, I'd say you're the most human man I know. Don't let anyone tell you who you are. It's you to decide. And you're smart, gently and sweet, polite too, and that seems very human to me." She said and Remus didn't think twice before he kissed her. He rested his forehead against hers; his eyes closed just trying to imprint the memory in his mind. She never stopped to impress him. Remus Lupin had met some very nice people, some who had accepted his lycanthropy and other whom he'd never heard again after they learned that he turned into a wolf once a month. But Nymphadora Tonks was part of these few people who didn't care. And even if she didn't realize, it meant a lot to Remus.

She kissed him again, tenderly andhe kissed her temple. She leaned a bit on him and he kissed her cheek.

"I'm glad you came." He said.

"I'm glad I came, too." She said laughing lightly and he kissed her, cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her very tenderly, stroking her jaw with his thumb. They looked at each other, and Remus realized that she was looking at him a way no one had ever looked at him and he wondered if it was how love started.

She leaned closer and stroked her nose on his before she pressed her lips against his. She moved closer and they kept kissing, as tenderly as passionately. Remus placed his hand on her knee, stroking her leg softly.

Tonks let herself fall down on her back and Remus was on top of her, kissing her lingeringly. He placed his hand on her waist, stroking through the fabric of her t-shirt. Then, Remus kissed her cheek, her nose, her forehead and he moved to be on her side. He kissed her temple and sighed pleasingly. Their legs were entwined and he kept a hand on her waist, stroking, tracing patterns.

"What does Sirius would say if he knew that we were in such a position?" Tonks asked laughing.

"What Sirius doesn't know, doesn't hurt him." Remus answered and he left a kiss on her cheek. She turned to look at him; Remus noticed how shiny her eyes were. He placed his other hand in her hair, stroking her pink hair. He knew they'd have to tell Sirius at some point but he kind of dreading this moment. "But for now, I'd like to have you all by myself." He said trying to sound confident, but in reality, he wasn't. He wasn't at all. He didn't even know what she wanted them to be. "You don't mind?"

"I don't." She said and she stroked his cheek.

"You're beautiful, Nymphadora." He said before he kissed her.

"What did I already told you?" She asked smiling against his lips. Remus knew she either meant the use of her full name, or the compliment.

"Which part?" He said before he kissed her again.

"Both."

"I sincerely apologize… for not being sorry."

"For which part?"

"Both your lovely name and the compliment." He said and he kissed her again. Remus kissed her jaw and her cheek again.

They stayed a long time on the sofa. Sometimes she'd move closer so that she could give him a tender kiss, or play with his hair as they talked. They were just holding on to each other, in a peaceful silence – sometimes broke by one of them who'd had a silly thing to say that'd make them both laugh.

"I don't even know what time it is." Nymphadora said, tracing patterns on his chest.

"Are you bored with me? You know you can leave whenever you want?" Remus said laughing but a part of him was scared that she'd find him boring. She was so lively, so young and he was… well, he was Remus.

"Of course no, I couldn't spend a better Sunday afternoon." She said and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. Remus looked at his watch and said:

"Oh, well. It's half past eight."

"Shit, I'm sorry. I've stayed so long! I lost the track of time!" She said now straddling him and she sat up. It brought some ideas in Remus's mind. _Calm down._ Remus sat up, too and was now so close to her face.

"I don't mind." He said against her lips and she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Remus slid his hand on her back, holding her closer. Stroking the back of his neck and his hair, she backed away a little.

"Remus Lupin, I'm shocked by your flirtatious behaviour."

"I don't have the right to be flirtatious?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"Of course you do." She said laughing. "It's just, you're so calm and it's such a contrast. But don't misunderstand me, I love it." She said and she kissed him again. "but I should go." She said putting her head on one side.

"Stay." He said without thinking. "Stay for dinner. I don't have much, but I'm sure I should have enough to make dinner for both of us."

"But you're sure I wouldn't bother you?" She insisted.

"No, you never bother me, Nymphadora." He said and he kissed her.

And she stayed for dinner. They prepared dinner together, and Remus tried to show her some tips but she was clumsy and things kept falling on the floor. He didn't mind her clumsiness. It was endearing. She sat on the counter and looked at him cooking, and he stole her a kiss or two – or ten – as he cooked.

They ate dinner watching muggle tv and laughing while they watched one of their movies. She sat close to him and Remus placed his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. She looked at him smiling and gave him a kiss on the cheek. They watched the tv, snuggling, just enjoying the warm contact. The movie ended, and Remus knew she'd leave. He kissed her forehead and she leaned against him, so he kissed her cheek and she moved to kiss him on the lips.

"We'll see each other for lunch on Wednesday?" Remus asked against her lips. She nodded and kissed him again. They got up – reluctantly. Remus walked her to the door.

"Before I forget!" She shouted and looked at him. "Are you free on Saturday?"

"Yes, I am." Remus said. He didn't have many plans.

"A friend of mine owns a gallery and there's an opening night on Saturday. She gave me tickets, would you like to come with me?" She asked looking a bit shy as she asked.

"I'd love to." He said smiling and he kissed her forehead. She opened the door and Remus saw how dark it was outside. "Maybe I should walk you back home? It's late."

"Remus, I'm an Auror, you know. That's insulting but adorable." She said and Remus couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll just apparate in front of my door, I'll be fine." She said.

"You're sure?"

"Sure." She said and she pulled him closer. Remus cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly and lingeringly.

"Have a good night, Nymphadora." He said when he rested his forehead on hers. She chuckled.

"Remus, stop calling me Nymphadora."

"Hmm hmm." Remus nodded knowing that he wouldn't stop.

"Have a good night, Remus." She said and she kissed him again quickly and she disapparated.

Remus walked back to the living room and sat on the sofa loosely smiling like an idiot. Just a few minutes later, something clicked on the window. It couldn't be Nymphadora – an owl could be fast but not _that_ fast. Remus got up and opened the window – thinking he'd see an owl but he didn't. It wasn't an owl. It was a paper. He opened the window and took the paper plane.

_My dearest Remus,_

_I'm home – safe and sound. Isn't my paper plane cool? They do that at the ministry and I got someone to teach me how to do it once. _

_So don't worry tonight. Have a good night, and some sweet dreams._

_Love,_

_Tonks (Nymphadora for you, EXCEPTIONALLY tonight)_

__Remus smiled. A smile was stuck on his face since the moment she had walked in his house, anyway.

* * *

_Hey!_

_I hope you like it :) I have some ideas for the next chapters with two new characters: they are not from HP, but I'll do my best so you'll love them! I think they're very lovable! _

_I had made several mistakes last time, I tried to correct them with the help of the wonderful remadora-ftw!_

_If there's anything you'd like to say, don't hesitate: review :) I always love your reviews! _


	8. Danny & Henry

It was Friday night and Remus was at her door, he knocked and waited. He heard Tonks running to the door and opening it quickly.

"Wotcher! Come in!" She said.

"Hello, Nymphadora." Remus said and he kissed her forehead on the way. "This is for you." He handed her a box of chocolate.

"You know you don't have to bring me something each time you come here, Remus?"

"It's my pleasure." He said and he meant it. He liked offering her something every time he saw her.

"Here is Mr Pouterson." Tonks pointed to the big lazy cat walking toward Remus and he rubbed against his legs. "I swear he is greeting you better than me!" She said. "He's mine!" Nymphadora said like an eight years old and she kissed Remus, wrapping her arms around his neck. Remus pulled her closer to him and lingered the kiss.

"So I'm yours?" Remus asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well… me against the cat, I win, don't I?"

"Of course, you do." Remus said and he kissed her.

"See, Mr Pouterson?

Remus kissed her on the cheek as she spoke to the cat and she turned to kiss him again. Remus loved the way she kissed him, he loved the way her lips were moving perfectly against his, how he felt always could feel his stomach twitch, how she grab the front of his jumper to pull him closer and the way her hair feels between his fingers.

"When does the gallery opens?"

"It's already opened but it only gets interesting after 8pm." She said and she walked away to put her shoes on. He looked at her and noticed she was wearing a large t shirt with the W of the Weird Sisters on it and a tight black skirt. She walked to her bedroom and searched her boots in the closet. Remus looked at the big cat peering at him.

"What?" Remus asked, as if the cat would just answer him. "You're the lucky one. You get to see her every day." Remus said quietly. Nymphadora walked out of her bedroom her grey boots in her hands. She sat on the sofa and put her shoes on.

"I know it's not exactly… well… lady-like but they're my favourite shoes."

"You look absolutely lovely." Remus said and he sat next to her on the sofa. She rolled her eyes, she did it almost every time he gave her a compliment, though he noticed she blushed too. "I mean it, Nymphadora."

"We agreed that you'd stop calling me Nymphadora." She said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, you decided that I'd stop calling you Nymphadora." Remus said and he leaned closer. He kissed her nose and she smiled. He rested his forehead on hers and stroked the tip of her nose.

"We should move from this couch." She whispered

"Hmm hmm"

She gave him a brief tender kiss and looked at him, stroking his cheek.

"So which of your friends am I going to meet tonight?

"Danny and Henry. You're going to love them. Danny's a girl, don't know if I told you. Her name's Danielle but she doesn't like it, so we call her Danny." Remus smiled, seeing the obvious first common point they had. "We met at Hogwarts and we remained friends, very good friends. She met Henry a year after we left Hogwarts. Henry's a muggle."

"A muggle?" Remus repeated surprised.

"Yes, they fell in love. Like they _really_ loved each other and they still do actually. She had made an official demand to have the right to perform magic in front of him. He accepted the idea quite well. They've been engaged for a few months now. So they're living in a Muggle neighbourhood."

"That should be a good night." Remus said thought he was kind of terrified at the idea of meeting some of Tonks's best friends. He knew that if they didn't like him, he stood no chance.

"Yeah. I've been to one of her opening night, it was fine. The pictures were cool." Tonks said with a tiny smile. "It's been quite a long time I haven't seen her. I was so busy lately."

"Being an Auror doesn't give you much free time."

"Yeah. They don't think you need a personal life." She said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Tonight you're going to meet your friends, and you're going to have a good time and we won't talk about work, alright?" Remus said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Mr Pouterson rubbed their legs as he walked in front of them and looked up at them. "You'll be nice tonight, Mr Pouterson?" Remus said trying to sound serious and Tonks laughed. That's what he wanted. He wanted to be the one who'd make her laugh.

"Did I tell you that he ripped one of my t shirts?"

"Nope, we were quite busy when I came here this week." She nudged him and blushed. She must have remembered the way she had pinned him on the settee. They had seen each other after she had been back from work and Remus had brought a pizza from a muggle shop and they didn't catch the main plot of the movie they had intended to watch. She had told him she had had a long day and just wanted to think about something else. Apparently, snogging him on the sofa was quite efficient.

"Maybe it was the day after you came, but he ripped one of my t-shirts, I mean, his owner gave him toys and stuff but no, he had to steal one of my clothes and try his claws on it."

"Oh, my poor sweet Nymphadora." Remus said smiling and he kissed the top of her head.

"Remus."

"What?" He asked innocently.

"My name." She said but he was sure she was fighting a grin.

"Hmm hmm, it's lovely." He said airily.

"Damn, Remus, what am I going to do with you?" She said laughing. She turned her head to look at him. She had a wide smile on her face and she kissed him. She was still smiling a bit when her lips were pressed against his and Remus liked that feeling. When didn't he like to kiss her, anyway?

"We're going to be late." Remus said against her lips and he kissed her one more time.

"It's you who's.." she said pointing at him making circle with her finger while searching for her word. "tempting." She said blushing lightly, just like the tip of her hair was getting a bit redder.

"I shall be tempting more often, then." Remus said grinning. He still wondered why she liked him – why she'd want to show him to her friends because he was nothing to be proud of, he was not handsome, he did not have an awesome job nor did he was famous or anything. But she wanted to introduce him to her friends and he realized that he actually liked this idea very much.

He got up and reached out for her hand.

"Are we both ready, now?" He asked and she got up entwining her fingers with his.

"Yes, we are. Mr Pouterson, you'll be alone tonight. If you're nice, Remus will stay a bit longer after he walked me home." She said fighting a smile again.

"If Mr Pouterson is nice?" Remus repeated.

"Hmm hmm. You know, blackmail works on pets." She said and gave his hand a light squeeze.

"Oh yeah, it's only for Mr Pouterson." He said raising his eyebrows, a tiny smile in the corner of his lips.

"Remus, you know me, you should know I'd never use this lovely big lazy cat as an excuse to have you all to myself when we get home."

"Of course, you wouldn't." Remus said and he kissed her forehead.

They disapparated in the narrow street near her building and apparated in the centre of London; when they walked out of the street which was the favourite point of apparition for wizards, the avenue was crowded. Remus followed Nymphadora since she was the only one who knew the direction. She was holding his hand and Remus realized how he loved this gesture –It was a simple thing, really – just holding hands while they walked. Some would think it's old fashioned, some would thing they're too old for this but he thought that maybe the ones who'd think that way would have never felt what he felt for Nymphadora Tonks.

"It's not far, we turn right and we're there." She said. Remus only nodded and they talked little about the muggle streets and how everything felt different from the Wizarding world's streets.

"There it is!" Tonks pointed to a white wall with one French window on the front and an opened door on the right. It was written _A&A_ In big and just under these big letters was written: _Aphrodite & Apollo_. Remus remembered that Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty and Apollo was the god of light, arts and music too.

They walked in and Remus couldn't help but notice how high the walls were. The hall was white and was decorated with several framed pictures, though Remus couldn't see clearly who the people on these pictures were. Nymphadora wasn't letting go of his hand, she looked at him and winked.

"Tonks!" A woman shouted.

"Danny! It's crowded tonight!" Tonks said happily. Remus let go of her hand so that she could hug her friend. Danny was taller than Tonks, with shoulder length blonde hair. She was pale with blue eyes and a long nose. She was wearing a green jacket on top of a jean shirt and black trousers – just like Tonks she was wearing boots. Remus wasn't surprised at all that they were friends.

"Yeah, it's a good night. I touch wood it will remain like that, it only just started."

"Here's my friend, Remus Lupin. Remus, this is Danny. Danny, Remus. I suck at introducing people, you'll forgive me."

The young lady reached out her hand and Remus shook her hand smiling politely.

"I hope you will both enjoy yourself, tonight."

"I'm sure we will." Remus said. Tonks looked up at him with a tender smile.

"Henry's inside. You should take a look at the exposition and when there will be less people coming in we'll talk a bit more, what do you think?"

"Good idea." Tonks said smiling and she shook her head. "Damn, I missed you Danny." Danny pulled Tonks into a hug again.

"I missed you too, I love your hair. I'm glad you keep it this way." They broke apart, both smiling.

"Thanks." Tonks said. "See you later?"

"Yes! Just come and tell me when you've finished." Danny said and Tonks took Remus's hand again as she walked in the first room. She moved her hand and wrapped her arm around his.

"So, first interaction with Danny." She said leaning closer.

"She seems a very nice person."

"She is. She really is. She's talented too."

"Is she painting, too?"

"Yes, but you won't find her paintings here. She doesn't realize she has talent and keeps painting as a little hobby. But she's happy finding new talents."

"Maybe that's a talent, too: to see the talent in the ones who don't realize what they have inside of them." Tonks tiptoed and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'm really glad you came." She said. They took a look at the paintings in the first room. Most of them were oil paintings, other were just sketches. The paintings were portraits of people smiling, not smiling like when you take a picture but a real smile. You could almost see them laugh. Remus thought that the person who did that was brilliant. After having looked at all the paintings of the first room they walked to the second one, which was still in the same atmosphere but there was photographs next to the painting of the people who had been portrayed. Nymphadora commented some of them, because she also thought that it was brilliant. After a long length of time, they went to the last room which was quite different from the others. There was a movie projected on the wall, in black and white of the people who had been painted laughing and talking and on the other walls there was a picture of them and the explanation of the circumstances of when the photograph had been taken. There were some very funny explanations like the one of the guy who was actually explaining that one day while he was in a fast food he stood on the table and recited the monologue of one of his favourite movie because he had lost a bet with his friends. On the picture, the young man was laughing; his eyes seemed lost in the memory.

"Tonks?" Someone asked from behind.

"Henry!" She shouted and she hugged the young man quickly.

"I knew a girl with short pink hair and boots with a dress could only be you." Henry said. He looked at Remus so he reached out his hand and said:

"Remus, Remus Lupin. Nice to meet you."

"Henry Fidel." He was a tall man with light brown hair and brown eyes. He looked young and there was something about him, he just looked kind. He had a boyish smile, too – Remus had the impression that he did look different from Danny but at the same time, he felt like they were a good match.

"It's been a while Tonks, how are you doing?" Henry asked.

"Fine. I'm sorry I didn't come more often. I had a lot of work lately, but when Danny told me there would be a new exposition I thought I couldn't miss it!"

"And, you brought a friend." Henry said smiling mischievously at Tonks. "I hope you like the exposition, Remus." Henry said smiling.

"Yes, it's brilliant." Remus answered. "Each room is perfect and it's following a very interesting path. It is very well organized."

"We spent yesterday organizing everything with Danny."

Tonks wrapped her arm more tightly around Remus's and she rested her head on his arm.

"There really is a lot of people, it's gonna be good evening for you." Tonks said. Henry was looking at them, or more accurately at how Nymphadora was close to Remus, but he smiled and answered:

"I hope so. The artist is quite famous, he's new but he's making a lot of noise so it's a good opportunity."

"Danny told us to look for her after we've finished our tour, wanna come with us?"

"Later, I have a few other people to greet and I'll join you."

"Alright." Tonks said and they made to walk out of gallery and met Danny on the way. She told them to wait for her outside.

"It's chilly, here." Tonks said shivering as they stood on the large sidewalk.

"You should have taken a jacket, Nymphadora." Remus said shaking her head. "Come here." He said opening his arms for her. She wrapped her around his waist and held him tightly. "I'm sure you forget your jacket just for me to warm you up."

"Don't be over yourself." She said but by the way she was holding him, he knew she didn't mean it so much.

"I hope Mr Pouterson is behaving." Remus said and she moved away just a little so she could look at him. "I mean, I have to make sure you're not freezing when I take you home." He whispered and she held him tightly again.

"I hope he's behaving too."

"Get a room!" A woman shouted behind them. When they both look up they laughed. It was Danny who was making fun of them as she walked toward them.

"I forgot my jacket."

"You could have used a spell, aren't you a witch?"

"There are muggles around here, which would not be reasonable." Tonks said trying to sound serious. Danny laughed adjusting her coat and she stuck her tongue at Nymphadora. "Anyway, Remus's warm enough." Remus raised an eyebrow and they all laughed. Remus kept his arm around her shoulder and she didn't seem to mind – quite the opposite because he had the impression she was moving closer.

"What did you think of the exposition?" Danny asked. Remus and Tonks told her what they had thought of it – which was only positive thoughts. They told her how brilliant they thought it was and their favourite pieces but they ended talking about almost each of them.

"I wonder where Henry is." Danny said looking around trying to see if he was in the other groups of people around them.

"I could go inside and look for him. It will give the two of you some time." Remus said politely.

"If you don't mind, Remus, that'd be awesome!" Danny said with a wide smile.

Remus left a quick kiss on Nymphadora's temple and he walked back inside. There were indeed an awful lot of people there. It was not very easy to look at everyone in the room but in the second one, he found him talking with a man. Remus waited a bit, looking at a picture, hoping that the man with whom he was talking would walk away. After five minutes, the man was still there so Remus took his courage and walked to the two men.

"Oh, Remus, right?"

"Yes, Uhm.. Danny's looking for you."

"You shouldn't let your woman wait!" The man said and he walked away.

"So Remus, you're enjoying yourself?"

"Yes, it's very interesting. And I had the strong impression that Danny and Tonks needed some time together."

"It's never good." Henry said laughing lightly.

"I am sure Danny is giving her first impression about me." Remus said with a smirk.

"Well, it's almost a first for me, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Tonks's never introduced us to a guy, not really. I did meet one, once, but I've never seen him again. Danny hated him."

"That's very reassuring. If Danny doesn't like me, that's the end of me, right?" Remus said feeling very uncomfortable suddenly.

"Don't worry. You seem very much better than the one I've seen. And if Tonks brought you here, you must mean a great deal to her."

"Well, she means a lot to me." Remus said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Let's go see them, we shouldn't let them alone too long." Henry said laughing. As they walked out of the rooms they managed to talk when they weren't interrupted by someone elbowing them or trying to talk with Henry.

"So, do you own the gallery with Danny?"

"No, I help her though. I'm working for a newspaper. I don't have an important place, only an article to bring every week. But it actually takes a lot of work."

"That seems very interesting. What kind of newspaper is it?"

"It is a … muggle one, it is supposed to be about everything. Just a weekly newspaper in London but it is mostly about arts you know, music, paintings, museum events and other things of that kind."

"And you're specialized in paintings?" Remus asked as they got closer to the door.

"Yes. Danny is very helpful. We help each other a lot. Oh no." Henry said as he stood still on his feet looking ahead. Remus followed his gaze and saw Tonks and Danny with three other men that Remus didn't know.

"What is it? Or who are they?"

"They're friends from their school – your school, too I suppose. Personally… I don't really like them. But well, I'll let you make your own mind." Henry said and they kept on walking. Both men joined the group of friends quite shyly but Henry less than Remus as he wrapped his arms around Danny's waist. He saw him whispering some words in her ear and she smiled tenderly before she turned her head to give him a kiss. Remus tried to join in the conversation and listened to what the tallest man said:

"I mean, if my girlfriend could change her appearance I'd want her to look like a model!" He said. He was tall, with messy brown hair. He had quite squared jaw and a idiotic glint in the eyes – and when he laughed he sounded even more stupid. No, Remus was not jealous, neither was he angry of what he had just said – though, it was stupid.

"Lucky, I'm not your girlfriend." Tonks said firmly not so amused by the comment as the man's friends.

"I don't say you should change your whole face, but you could be taller and stop wearing this pink hair."

"I see you haven't changed that much since the last time we met." Tonks said clearly annoyed.

"Oh come on, I'm not the only to think that. What do you think?" He asked to Henry. Henry raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm not answering this." He answered. Danny seemed proud of his answer and he rested his chin on her shoulder. Apparently, Danny didn't like these men so much either.

"And you?" The man asked Remus. _If you knew._

"Well, I think that if I asked this to my girlfriend, she'd blacken my eye, or both and I'd have my nose broken too – at least." Remus asked quite amused by the situation

"And a trace of my hand on your cheek and I'm pretty sure I'd managed to turn your nose into a sock?"

"That's my girl." Remus said feeling no doubt as proud as Danny had felt. Tonks wrapped her arms around Remus's waist and Remus did the same.

"You're… He's your.."

"Yes, he is my boyfriend." Tonks answered with a wink. Now the man was feeling awkward. He laughed and so did his two sidekicks.

"Well, if I had known –"

"You wouldn't have said anything?" Remus asked.

"Well, we should go. It was funny seeing you here but we were going to a bar so…"

"Yeah, good night." Danny said and they all walked away.

"So, what do you think of them, Remus?" Henry asked laughing.

"Well, they are… how to say –" Remus was trying to find a word that wouldn't be too harsh in case Nymphadora liked them.

"Stupid? Idiots? Brainless? Sexist? Selfish?" Danny asked.

"Well, yes." Remus said laughing. "Do you see them often?"

"Each time the gallery's opened on a weekend night. But he keeps saying things like 'If I had a girlfriend..' so I doubt he manages to ever get one."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Remus said. He thought about what he had said to Tonks – how a man in his right mind would ask his girlfriend to change her appearance? If you love someone you don't want them thinner or taller, you only want them.

"Anyway, let's not talk about them. They're not worth it." Tonks said leaning her head on Remus. She must have had a long day, Remus thought. They talked lightly with Danny and Henry for a moment. They seemed to have accepted him quite well, so it could only be a good sign, couldn't it? Tonks couldn't stop a yawn and laughed feeling guilty.

"I think we should go home, I'm almost sleep-walking."

"It was good to see you, Tonks. And we have to meet each other sooner! Not every 5 months!"

"How about we meet for dinner, in a few weeks?"

"Alright. You keep writing, alright?" Danny asked smiling sadly at Tonks.

"Remus, it was a pleasure to meet you." Henry said.

"Pleasure was mine." Remus answered.

"I hope we will see you again." Danny said smiling. _That means he made a good impression, right?_

"Yeah, I feel lonely, I'm the only man each time we meet!" Henry said laughing.

"Oh stop complaining. You're such a baby." Danny said as she nudged him playfully.

"What did you say?" He repeated several times while he was tickling her.

"Nothing, nothing. Sorry." She said laughing.

"We'll plan something." Tonks said smiling tenderly at her friends.

"Soon." Danny insisted.

"Of course." Tonks said. They gave her last goodbyes and left. They walked quite silently to the apparition point and they were soon in her building.

"Let's see if Mr Pouterson's been nice." Tonks said beaming.

"If he hasn't, I'll have to stay to comfort you." Remus said as he left a kiss on her hair. "But this means I passed the test of your friends."

"You did not only passed, you've got Outstanding to all levels." She said as she opened the door.

They walked in, and didn't look for the cat actually. Remus had already his lips on hers and was walking to the sofa where she let herself fall loosely on it. They were both laughing when Remus let himself fall on her, though he was careful not to crash her.

"We spent a good evening, what do you think?" She asked.

"It was lovely. I had a great time." Remus said, moving her hair away from her forehead. They talked a bit of Danny and Henry – Tonks gave him the most important points of their lives.

"It would have been perfect without those assholes." Tonks said frowning. She seemed still annoyed by them.

"Who are they?"

"Matt, Jake and Broderick. They were in our years, Ravenclaw boys. We met a few times after we graduated and I hated each of our meetings."

"What they said about… your gift, your appearance… I wouldn't. I would never ask you such things, I hope you know this." Remus said a bit shy to say it. He thought he shouldn't have to say it out loud because it seems so logical to him.

"I know. Thank you." She said quietly. "You're not like them." She said as she traced the lines of his face with the tip of her fingers. "You're amazing, Remus. I'm lucky to have you." She said and Remus couldn't help but kiss her. That was the only way he could show her how he truly cared about her. He knew they'd keep busy for a long time because once they were kissing, it'd take a lot to break them apart – even Mr Pouterson usually who'd try to get attention dropped it after a moment.

* * *

_Hey! I hope you like it :) I also hope that you like Danny and Henry because I like them quite a lot, we'll see them again soon. :) We'll know more about them, and I'll try to make them interesting. _

_Again, review if there's anything you liked/disliked, any comment you'd like to make. I always love your reviews. _

_I hope they're not kissing too much, haha ;) I know It's fluffy, I can't help it! _

_xx_


	9. Kiss and Tell

**Sorry for updating so late! but I'll tell you later: enjoy! x**

* * *

Remus was quietly reading a book after being back from work when he heard a knock on the door. Not just a simple knock, it was Nymphadora knocking on his front door. He had recognized it because she had started to use a special rhythm several days ago so that he'd recognize her each time.

"Come in!" Remus shouted, the door opened and several seconds later she was at the door of the living room.

"Only you, Remus Lupin, would read a book when you are surrounded by books at your work." She said as she sat next to him on the sofa.

"And only you would willingly make me stop reading a really good book." Remus said and he leaned to kiss her tenderly. He wondered if one day he'd get tired of kissing her, though he really doubted it.

"Flatterer." She said against his lips. Remus couldn't help but smile – he did not deny her accusation at all. "You know you don't need to give compliments?"

"You mean to say that I can kiss you without flattering you first?" Remus asked trying to sound as surprised as possible. She punched him on the shoulder and Remus burst out laughing.

"Silly man." She said before she kissed him again. She backed away a little to look at him and kept running her fingers through his hair as she spoke. "I have something to ask you. I got a letter from Danny and she invited us to have a drink with her and Henry."

"That's a good idea." Remus said with a smile, feeling quite content with himself now that he knew she liked him enough to want to spend time with him and her friends.

"You mean it?" She asked a little surprised.

"Why? You were hoping I'd say no?"

"No, of course not. I was just scared you'd thought it was too much. You know, going out with me and my friends…"

"Well, no. Unless, it is for you?"

"Damn, we're pathetic." Nymphadora said laughing.

"Yes, we are." Remus said laughing.

"Do you mind if I go get myself a drink?" She asked.

"No, of course no. Make yourself at home, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus." She said as she walked to the kitchen.

"I am not going to call you Tonks." Remus said firmly. Tonks was too impersonal for him. How could he call her by her last name only? He liked to think he was special for her, even just a little bit.

"Find something else." She said airily. Remus thought about her name. _Nymphadora. Nym? Nymph?_ She was a nymph. She was as beautiful as a nymph. Her parents did have chosen very well her name. She walked back to the sofa with two glasses of water that she placed on the little table in front of them.

"Nym is one… but there's something missing." Remus said looking at her as if the answer would be written on her face. "Dora." He eventually said.

"My dad calls me Dora."

"Would you rather have me calling you differently?" Remus asked quickly.

"Say it again." She said and she bit her lips waiting for him to say it.

"Dora, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I love it." She said and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"It was a real question."

"Yes." She answered.

"Good." Remus said and she settled closer to him, her head on his shoulder. Remus rested his arm around her and kissed her hair.

"What were you reading?" Tonks asked.

"Around the world in 80 days."

"You finished British literature so you started the French one?" She asked a smile stuck on her face as she looked up at him. "Keep on reading, don't mind me." Remus took back his book and opened to the page he had stopped. He took a glance at the blue hair he could see on his shoulder.

"Blue suits you." Remus said as he took a strand of hair between his fingers.

"Hmm?" She said looking up at him again.

"Your hair. It's the first time I see it blue. It suits you."

"Oh, well this morning I was in the mood for blue, for once."

"Well, you're beautiful as always." Remus said and he kissed the top of her head.

"Stop it, Remus." She said not looking at him and Remus just laughed. He liked to compliment her for two reasons, first because he meant it and then because she was always blushing when he complimented her and she'd tell him to shut up – though he doubted she really meant it. "Are you going to read or what?" She asked and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"You want me to read aloud?"

"Well, yes. I've had a long day. It'll relax me."

"Alright." Remus answered and he placed himself in a comfortable position, holding the book with one hand while the other was in hers. She kept tracing lines on his skin. Remus realized he had folded his sleeves and he had the reflex to think about folding them back. But it only lasted a second, because then he realized he was with Nymphadora Tonks and with her; he didn't have to hide anymore. And she didn't seem to mind the scars anyway; she was holding his hand while the other was unconsciously caressing his forearm.

Remus read a chapter. He concentrated on the first sentence thinking _Don't look like a fool – not now – concentrate._ And it went clearly, each word, each sentence, and each paragraph: the words flew out of his lips clearly and he forgot his nervousness. She did not laugh, she did not yawn and she actually seemed to like it. When the chapter was finished, Remus closed the book and placed it on the arm of the sofa.

"You should make an audio book." She said as she moved to rest her head on the sofa.

"No one would listen to an old werewolf reading a book." Remus said a bit resigned but keeping a smile for her.

"I would. I would listen to Remus Lupin reading a book." She said. "I know a lot of people would."

"Oh, before I forget, When do Danny and Henry want to meet?"

"Next Saturday night, are you free?" Remus thought about the full moon that would take place in the middle of the next week. He couldn't help but wonder if one day she'd see him looking tired and she'd realized that he is not wholly human and she'd run away from him.

"Yes. I never have a lot to do." He said with a sad smile.

"Remus Lupin, you're in a very gloomy mood tonight, and it is my duty to cheer you up." She said before she pushed him so he fell down on his back on the sofa. She was straddling him, smiling amusedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm in the last cycle of the moon. It usually influences me. But this is no excuse. I apologize for being such a bad host."

"Remus John Lupin -"

"You like saying my full name, don't you?"

"Yes." She said with a triumphant smile.

She leaned and gave him a tender brief kiss.

"You know," she whispered in his ear "I know only one way to cheer you up." Remus tried to answer but was at a loss of words. He opened his mouth but no sound would come. But it wasn't what he had expected. Really, it wasn't. She started to tickle him, trying to touch the places where he'd laugh more.

"Please! Stop!" Remus said laughing and he tried to catch her hands but failed every time. She eventually stopped and laid on him comfortably.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yes." He said trying to breathe normally again.

"You know I had to do this? I did not do it because it amused me to see you struggle and laugh so much at the same time. I did because it was my duty." She said very seriously, almost solemnly.

"I am sure you did not enjoy doing this at all, Dora." Remus said and he lifted her so that their faces were on the same level.

"I really care about you." She said looking at him straight in the eyes – no doubt waiting to see his reaction.

"I really care about you, too." Remus said, without hesitation, confident about these words. He cared about her, he really did and he was sure he was slowly falling in love with her. All these little things about her made him want to spend more and more time with her, discover her. She smiled, as if relieved that he had answered.

Her stomach made some noise and they both laughed. It ended the quiet moment between the two of us but Remus didn't mind. It was those moments that he liked with her.

"What about our dinner?" Remus said and they prepared dinner together. Remus realized that the common things became much more interesting when he did them with her. So they ate dinner together while watching a muggle movie and then they let the television on and watched what seemed to be a tv show in several episodes. Remus did not often watched tv, but when he was young he liked to do so with his mother. She was a muggle born and she had grown up raised as a muggle until she went to Hogwarts and so she had raised Remus this way.

Remus and Nymphadora snuggled in the sofa, enjoying the closeness they shared. The unsaid, and the gestures. And without realizing, Remus fell asleep; when he opened his eyes: he noticed that Tonks had fallen asleep too, he looked at his watch and it was 3a.m. _Damn._ _Could he take her to his bed? Was it appropriate? Well, they had done worse than just sleeping in the same bed. It was not much, compared to the snogging séance on the sofa. He did not have much of a choice, now, did he? He was not going to wake her up at 3am to ask her to go, right? _

Remus tried to move without waking her up and held her in his arms. He walked to his bedroom, holding her tight, her head resting on his chest. She moaned some inaudible words before Remus eventually understood "What time is it?"

"Three in the morning, Nymphadora. I'm going to take you to my bed, alright?"

"Sorry" It was the only word Remus understood. She moaned apparently several words, though he had not understood any of it.

"You don't mind?"

"No." She moaned stroking her eyes. He placed her on the bed, she sat on the edge looking at him sleepily and only half-consciously.

"Do you want me to give you a shirt? It's not going to be comfortable for you to sleep in your clothes." Remus said looking quickly for a shirt.

"Yeah as you wish." She said trying to keep her eyes opened. He gave her a shirt that she put on slowly and she took off her trousers. She let herself fall down on the bed and closed her eyes again.

"Wait, Nymphadora-" Remus had to ask her when she wanted to get up in the morning.

"I want to sleep!" She mumbled against the pillow.

"When do you leave for work tomorrow morning?"

"Start at 8:30" She mumbled again and she seemed to drift into sleep again.

He placed the covers on her. He lay down next to her, and carefully placed his arm around her; at his touch she moved closer to him. She looked good in his bed, her pink hair on his pillow. He almost didn't want to sleep, but just look at her because it had been a long time he hadn't been lucky enough to have someone in his bed, especially someone he had grown to care about so much.

"Sweet dreams, Nymphadora." Remus said in her hair. He fell asleep pretty quickly and only woke up in the morning.

Remus liked waking up with Tonks in his arms, it actually felt right. They almost hadn't move at all, maybe they were really tired. The alarm rang and Remus woke up just a little before she did and when he felt her move a little and started to open her eyes Remus said:

"Hello, beautiful." Remus said and he kissed her hair.

"Hmm good morning." She moaned.

He slid his hand under her shirt and fondled her skin lightly. She turned on her back and smiled at him. Remus realized that there wasn't anything better to get to know someone, to really know someone. The tired eyes, and the tired smile of the morning, the messy hair and the hoarse voice.

"I hope I didn't snore." She said.

"Well, as a matter of fact, you did." Remus said trying not to smile.

"I was joking. I don't!" She said looking surprised.

"How could you know? You're sleeping." Remus teased.

"I know I don't." Tonks pouted and turned on her side away from Remus. He laughed and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Nymphadora." Remus said in her ear and he kissed her cheek. He tickled her and she laughed, trying to escape from his grip but failed. "You're right, you don't." He said before he gave her a tender kiss.

They got up and put their clothes on and took a quick shower. Remus showed her a good cleaning spell that he had learned. Remus prepared the breakfast while she was in the shower and when she walked in the kitchen with her messy wet hair, he was speechless. She was wearing one of his t shirt again with her tight jeans, it was too big for her but it suited her.

"So tell me, did you have a good night of sleep?" Remus asked enable to hide his mischievous tiny smile.

"Never better." She said casually and walked to the table quickly.

They ate their breakfast talking a little. When they finished Tonks got up to put her coffee mug in the sink and leaned on the wooden table, just next to Remus. She was beaming at him and Remus felt incredibly self-conscious and nervously rubbed one of his scars on his cheekbone.

She sat onto his lap and slid her arms around his neck. She kissed the tip of his nose and then his cheek. She ran her finger on his scar, and on another one started from his neck to his jaw.

"You have such a beautiful face." She said tenderly and Remus responded by kissing her.

"So you don't mind that you slept there and we didn't.. you know slept together?" Tonks asked a bit nervous.

"Of course not, why would I?"

"I don't know… it's just… It's just I had a boyfriend who was a bit annoyed if I didn't want to have sex with him when we spent the night together."

"Look at me." Remus said, taking her face in his hands "That man was a stupid git and no one should treat you this way." He said before he kissed her tenderly, trying to prove her that he really meant it. "And I loved spending the night with you." He said against her lips. Remus wondered what kind of man could say those things. He was angry that she had had to cope with that man because he knew she deserved the best and he was sure he'd try his best to give her everything she deserved.

"Me too, I'm sorry I didn't leave you much of a choice. I'm not very diplomatic when I'm sleepy."

"I noticed." Remus said laughing lightly.

"When do you start?" She asked.

"Nine."

"So you can go with me to the Ministry!" She said joyfully, with a warm smile on her face. He couldn't say no. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, you're not scared that some of you colleagues may see you with me?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm a werewolf, Nymphadora." Remus said. Sometimes he wondered if she forgot what he was, though there was a part of him that hoped that she did not only see Remus Lupin the werewolf when she looked at him.

"But it doesn't change anything. I'd be happy to show everyone I'm with you." She said casually. It seemed such a tiny thing when she's the one talking about it. "But if you don't want to come, it's fine."

"No, I'll come."

They left his house, and Remus started to feel nervous as they disapparated in a narrow street near the entry of the Ministry workers. Tonks seemed to have noticed and spoke of silly things to get his mind off this while holding his hand. That was one of the things that he loved about her, how she had learned to know him and try to help him discretely.

They arrived in front of public toilets that a lot of people were entering.

"Here we are. See you soon?"

"We could see each other this week end?" Remus offered.

"I finish at six, but we can see each other tomorrow?

"Well, just owl me. I was thinking about going to see Sirius this afternoon. I thought I could tell him for us, what do you think?"

"It's a good idea. Do you want me to come with you?" Nymphadora asked putting her head on one side like she often did.

"As you wish, but I thought I'd tell him and if he wants then I'll tell you to come and we'll meet. I'm afraid it's going to be a bit of a shock."

"Alright, I'll come by your house tonight, to know how he reacted."

"Good. But now you're going to be late for work, Nymphadora."

"Remus?" She asked a bit doubtfully.

"Yes."

"It's not going to change anything, is it?"

"No, Nymphadora." Remus said reassuringly.

"Don't call me Nymphadora."

"Of course, Nymphadora." Remus said and he kissed her forehead. She tried to shot him a death glare but failed.

"Have a good day, Dora." Remus said before he gave her a brief tender kiss. Well, he had intended to give her a _brief_ kiss but she had thought differently and she cupped his face with her hands and kissed him lingeringly. Remus was not the kind who liked to show his affection publicly but this time, he could not mind.

"Have a good day, Remus." She said when they broke apart.

The day was quite long and Remus kept thinking about what he would tell Sirius. He kept imagining his reaction: Remus's dream would be that Sirius would just say _This is great_. But Remus was sure that he wouldn't say this, he would not understand that his best friend was with his cousin who was 13 years younger than he was.

Even his boss had noticed something and kept asking what was the matter but Remus could not tell. He should have told him earlier, maybe.

Six struck and Remus had no choice but go to Sirius's house. No doubt he would be home, now.

He disapparated to Sirius's village and he walked to his house. He had no choice now. He knocked on the door and Mary opened.

"Remus, what a surprise. How are you?"

"Good morning, Mary, I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm fine. Is Sirius home?" Remus cracked his knuckles. Why Sirius had not seen it since the very beginning just like it happened when they were younger?

"Yes, he just got home from work half an hour ago. Come in."

"Thank you." Remus said politely. He had never felt so awkward when going to see Sirius.

"Hey! Feeling alright?" Sirius said getting up from his chair when Remus entered their living room. He looked around, it really was a lovely house, and it was quite big.

"Yes, I just wanted to have a little talk with you." Remus said quietly. How was he supposed to start?

"Is there a problem?"

"No, not a problem." Remus said.

"Well, take a sit, Remus. I'm going to make tea." Mary said with a smile as she walked back to the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked when he sat back on his chair. Remus was sitting awkwardly on the sofa looking at the small table in front of them.

"I have something to tell you, uhm. I don't really know how to start."

"By the beginning." Sirius said quietly. Remus only glanced at his friend but then looked somewhere else.

"You're right, the beginning. Well, do you remember James and Lily's party at the beginning of the summer?"

"Yes."

"Well, at this party I met your cousin, as you know."

"Tonks? We had not seen her in a while with the Auror training and all."

"Well, when we met we became friends quite easily, you know."

"Really? Well that's good. Is there something wrong? Did she do something?"

"No, not really. It's just… Hum… We became very good friends and we… we went on a date." _Now, I said it,_ Remus thought.

"You went on a date with Tonks?" Sirius repeated apparently very surprised. Mary came in the room, and Remus couldn't be any happier. She eased the tension as she placed the cups of tea on table.

"Tonks is your cousin, right? The young woman with the pink hair?"

"Yes. So you asked her on a date?" Sirius said. There was not the ghost of a smile on his face and Remus even thought that he should just run away from this house and forget everything.

"Yes." Remus answered.

"And she accepted?"

"Well yes, it was kind of a common agreement. We both wanted to see each other."

"That's great!" Mary said still with the warm smile on her face.

"From all the women at this party, you chose my cousin, Remus?"

"I did not _choose_ her."

"Apparently, you did." Sirius was speaking louder. It was not a good sign. No, it definitely wasn't a good sign.

"It just happened." Remus said.

"Sirius, this is great. Remus is a very nice man and I haven't seen much your cousin but she seemed a very great woman too."

"A woman? She barely left Hogwarts!" Sirius said shaking his head in disbelief.

"I thought she was an Auror." Mary said frowning.

"She is." Remus confirmed. Sirius was obviously overreacting and Remus was kind of frustrated. He had not think that Sirius would be angry about his age, not more than about his lycanthropy.

"The training of an Auror is, at least, two years, no?" Mary went on, still frowning.

"Indeed, yes." Remus answered quietly.

"And she told me she had finished her training a year ago but she had got a lot of work and she didn't have much time to go out."

"Yes but she _is_ young." Sirius said.

"I do not deny it. But we go along very well and I thought we could meet, all of us."

"Because you… you're with her now? You say we? I can't believe you said 'we'." Sirius said shaking his head. "How long?"

"I don't know, we's seen each other several weeks… the party was almost two months ago, I think."

"And why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because we thought we'd wait before we were sure of us so that it wouldn't be too awkward if we had to meet again."

"Oh, and so now you do me the honour to tell me that you're dating my cousin?!"

"Well, hum, yes." Remus answered awkwardly.

"I'm very happy for you, Remus." Mary said. She was sitting on the arm of Sirius's chair and she rested her hand on his shoulder. "It is great, Sirius. Don't be so sharp with Remus."

"You're on _his_ side?"

"There is no side, Sirius. She is an adult and if she likes Remus, it's great." Remus looked at her and nodded his head hoping that she'd see how grateful he was. "You should come for dinner the two of you, it would be nice. We don't know her enough!"

"I need time." Sirius said sharply.

"Sirius, I-"

"No. I need time, Remus. You told me, now give me some time."

"You are overreacting, Sirius." Mary said as she left her place and walked to the sofa. Remus stood up and looked at Sirius but this time he was the one who refused to look at him in the eyes. "Sirius, you are not letting Remus go without saying a word to him." She said on an authoritative ton.

"I don't know what to say. She_ barely_ graduated from Hogwarts! Lily introduced you to so many women but no, you had to have her, uh? And you did it behind my back! Don't you wonder why you didn't tell me earlier? Because I know why! You knew what I'd say because you think the same! Don't you tell me you don't care about the age gap I won't believe you!" Sirius pointed him with his finger as he spoke and Remus only wished to leave the house.

"As a matter of fact, I don't think about it when I'm with her." Remus said quietly. "Goodbye, Mary. Goodbye, Sirius." He left the house quickly and disapparated to his house. When he was finally home he was angry at Sirius. He had tried to contain it because Sirius was his best friend and he wouldn't mess with their friendship but he had been unfair. He didn't think he'd disagree that much with their relationship.

Remus kept pacing in his house, thinking about what they said, every word uttered: Mary's approval. Why would Mary be happy for him and not Sirius? Anger boiled in him. Sirius was selfish on this. He had Mary. Remus didn't have anyone. Of course, Lily had introduced him to many women but he had never met _his_ person and now, Nymphadora could be his person. He could feel it inside of him when he was with her. James had Lily and Sirius had Mary so why Remus couldn't have Nymphadora?

He had not really cared about her age because when he was with her, he completely forgot that she was 22. It felt natural to be with her, she was young, lively and had a bubbly personality and he liked that about her.

He did not long how long he had paced when he heard a knock of the door. Would it be Nymphadora already? Remus opened the door sharply and saw a familiar red head in front of him.

"Hello, Lily."

"Hi, Remus."

"Sirius told you?" Remus asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I thought I'd come and see you."

"Well, come in. Do you want something to drink?"

"Whatever you're having." She said and she walked to the kitchen and sat at the table. Remus placed two drinks of white wine in front of them.

"I don't need to tell you what he told me?"

"No, but I think he's overreacting too. James told him he was silly." Lily shrugged as if nothing had really happened. It reassured Remus. It would not taint their friendship, maybe.

"Did he?"

"Yes."

"And what did Sirius say?"

"Well, he's still a bit angry but he'll come around. I told him that I had met you and there was obviously something between the two of you and he shouldn't underestimate that. And I think that we got to his real problem." Remus waited for her to continue and she did. "He wished you had told him earlier."

"But I told him, we wanted to wait because we didn't want it to be awkward if we had to meet again."

"I know. I told you, he'll come around." She said reassuringly.

Remus heard a knock on the door and he knew it was Tonks. He told Lily to wait here and he walked to the door.

"Hey! You won't believe what happened!" Remus's favourite pink haired witch said joyfully. She was still wearing the clothes she had been wearing this morning under her Auror cloak. She was holding several books in her arms and it was close to fall. "There's a department protecting the muggles who got hundreds of books! There's a man who thought he had made a good deal getting tons of expensive books but actually he only got muggle ones so he threw them in the street. He got arrested for infringement against muggles and culture, and they got all the books! They were about to give it all back to the muggle authorities but they said that if we wanted we had the right to take several for us. Well, they did not exactly said so, but no one minded when I took them. So all these books are for you!" She said looking down at the books in her arms.

"Well, thank you, Dora. Do you need help?"

"Uh, maybe, yes." She said and she tried to give them to him. Remus started to walk back to the kitchen but Nymphadora told him to wait when he was just at the door of the kitchen and she walked toward him to give him a brief kiss.

Remus felt a blush coming onto his cheeks. He looked at Lily who was beaming at him, _damn she had seen that._ Tonks followed him in the kitchen smiling and she looked at Lily.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Wotcher." She said blushing – her cheeks as raspberry pink as her hair.

"Hello, Tonks. How are you?" Remus placed the books on his dining room table.

"Fine. Sorry if I had known you were here I wouldn't have come to bother you."

"Bother us? Why?" Lily asked keeping a warm smile on her face. Lily had always been a nice person, and always been very welcoming.

"Well, I'm sure you want some friend time. I don't want to intrude." Tonks said already walking closer to the kitchen door.

"Stay here, Dora. We were talking about Sirius, I am sure you want to know."

"Are you sure?" She asked looking from Lily to Remus back and forth.

"Yes." Remus said and he drew a chair for her to sit. As she sat down she looked up at him and he placed his hand on her shoulder tenderly. He realized that she was as shy as him when they were with someone they both knew.

Remus sat down between the two women and he told Nymphadora Sirius's reaction to their relationship.

"Are you kidding me? Did he really say that I barely graduated Hogwarts?"

Lily burst out laughing and said "Oh yes, he did." Tonks's hair got red.

"He is unfair." She said and she looked at Remus waiting for his opinion on it. He knew that she was afraid that he'd back away if he didn't have his friend's approval.

"I think so, too. He'll come around and he'll realize he has overreacted." Lily said reassuringly to both of them. "I'll talk to him, tomorrow."

Remus looked at Nymphadora and smiled – it wasn't hard to smile when she was around, especially now that her hair had turned pink again.

"It's funny you know," Lily started looking at them smiling tenderly. "I would have never thought about introducing the two of you." She chuckled.

"We make an original pair?" Tonks asked smiling.

"Yes, but I think it's great." Remus felt his cheeks reddening and when he looked at Tonks he noticed the tip of her hair was getting red again.

They kept on talking with Lily for quite a long time before she decided it was time for her to leave. Remus hoped that she was right and that Sirius would come around too. When she left, Nymphadora was looking a bit nervous so Remus decided that he'd have to reassure her. He wouldn't leave her just because Sirius had overreacted. Remus pulled her into a hug.

"I'll go see him, too." She said against his chest. Remus rested his head on the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Dora. I should have known he'd react this way."

"It's not your fault, Remus. But you're not gonna leave me because he thinks I'm too young for you?"

"He was overreacting. Maybe he's right, I don't know." Remus said hesitantly.

"When you're with me, do you think I'm too young?"

"I think that I'm too old."

"You're not." She said and she cupped his face with her hands and she kissed him lingeringly.

Remus would not think about what Sirius had said because if she didn't mind, maybe it meant that it wasn't that important. And if he judged by the way she kissed him, it could only mean that she thought the same.

* * *

_Hey!_

_I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I'm working now and I'm too tired to write when I'm home. I'm really sorry. And I have another fanfic so I try to write a chapter for one and then a chapter for the other. I'm really sorry! I'll try to update sooner, though! I was really long for this chapter!_

_**About Sirius's reaction**__, I know a lot of people will disagree but let me tell you my view: Sirius has not spent 12 years in Azkaban. And he has always known Remus so I think he wouldn't be so kind. And He's seen Tonks grow up, too. So keep that in mind._

**I hope you like it! Tell me what you think about it! What you like/dislike, as usual. **

_The blue hair is just a little reference to __Blue is the warmest colour__, the movie that won the Palme D'or in Cannes. _

_xx_


	10. A cool family

Tonks was leaning on the kitchen counter, looking down at her glass of water. She had come in Remus's house an hour ago and they had avoided talking about Remus for quite a moment.

"I talked to him, I think he's almost good now." Tonks said avoiding Remus's eyes.

"What did you tell him?"

"Just a few things, you know." She said airily.

"What kind of things?" Remus insisted. Nymphadora looked at him. He didn't know what she had told Sirius but he knew that she did not want him to know.

"Things. It's not important. I just told him he was wrong and we discussed and I think he should come around, soon." Remus got up and stepped so that he was less than a meter away from her.

"Why don't you just tell me what you said?"

"I told him I cared too much about you for him to messes everything because of his ego." She said looking away from him. Remus raised her chin with a finger and smiled. "I just, said that, you know, I thought that you liked having me around and he'd be selfish to take that away from us."

_"You know what's the real problem here? It's your reaction. It's not the fact that I'm 13 years younger or he's 13 years older – depends on the way you see things. The real problem is that if you have that reaction, you don't deserve him as a friend."_

_"I? I don't deserve him? He chose to date you behind my back!"_

_"You do not own me, Sirius. I am of age."_

_"You are barely of age."_

_"No, Sirius. I became a fully trained Auror two years ago, I was trained my Alastor Moody. I am an adult, whether you like it or not."_

_"But-"_

_"No, there's no but. If you have that reaction, you don't deserve him as a friend." She noticed that Sirius opened his mouth to speak again so she added quickly: _

_"And now, you let me finish. You and I both know that Remus's been through a lot during his whole life and not just only because of the war. He's never had it easy and he built a wall to protect himself from everyone. But he let me in! Well, I'm not sure he completely let me in, but at least he let me be part of his life and you should be happy he did. You should be happy it's me, because you know me. You keep saying you saw me growing up, but in that case you should know I wouldn't hurt him and you should be happy for him. You should be glad I want to be part of his life because I only want him to be the happiest man on earth because he deserves it. He deserves it so much. And Lily may have introduced him to women, but you can't blame him if he didn't feel good enough with them to let them in his life. And you can't blame him if we found each other. You can't blame him that I care about him. And that's what you're doing and you know exactly what he will do if you keep on saying these things. He'll shut me out of his life, you know he will. If you really put your ego before your friend's happiness, you're not a friend because he wouldn't do that, because friends don't do that. And if that's what you want, you sure as hell don't deserve him."_

_Sirius looked at her speechless, his eyes fixed on her. Nymphadora noticed that Mary had been in the room. Has she heard everything? How long has she been in the room? She had no idea._

_"That was a pleasure to see you, and I should go. And if you wonder where I'm going: I'm going to see Remus, I won't tell him what I just told you, neither will you. I know you Sirius, you are not a bad man, and you are a good friend so do the right thing, now. Mary it has been a pleasure to meet you again, thank you for the tea and I apologize for leaving abruptly. I am sure we will meet again, and I hope we will all be in better terms."_

_Nymphadora walked across the corridor of the room and she couldn't help but smile when she heard "I like her!" from Mary. _

"Alright, I'll pretend I think you're telling me everything." Remus said and he kissed her forehead.

"So, we have the weekend for ourselves, just you and me, no alarm clock in the morning." She whispered in his ear.

"Dora, it's not that I don't want to spend the weekend with you but I don't know if it's a good idea knowing that Sirius is still… you know, well, bothered by our relationship."

"Remus, don't do this."

"I'm not breaking up with you, Nymphadora. I just think we should wait. I don't want Sirius to kill me because he thinks I took advantage of you."

Nymphadora shook her head and rested it on his chest.

"It doesn't mean we can't do something, tonight."

"What do you want to do?" Nymphadora asked smiling hopefully.

"I don't know: would a late old muggle movie tempt you?" Remus said with a smug smile.

"I'd love to!" She said beaming.

"Alright, so I'll prepare dinner for us and we'll head for the theatre after dinner, alright?"

"This is perfect." She said and tiptoed to kiss him. So they did as he said: Remus prepared dinner with her help, though she was quite clumsy but it did not matter. Remus took the occasion to teach her a thing or two very closely – though she saw clearly his game and said "You're doing the sexy Professor thing.". But the way she said those words proved that she didn't want him to stop so he continued, standing just next to her – close enough so that his breath would tickle the skin of her neck.

They went at the theatre at around one in the morning and watched _It's A Wonderful Life_ while eating popcorn and Remus really thought he'd like to make it a habit. They walked back to her flat, holding hands like teenagers talking about the movie.

Remus had the firm attention to kiss her goodnight and leave. He wouldn't stay late like he had often did before. However, Tonks didn't seem to have planned the night the same way he had because when he kissed her in the hallway she responded much more passionately than he had expected.

"Maybe I should go… really… I'm not being a gentleman at all…. Really…. Not… appropriate." Remus said after he broke apart. He was caressing her nose with his. Tonks moaned, her eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her face.

"Hmm… there's no need to be a gentleman with me." She answered with a chuckle.

"Tell this to your cousin, he'll kill me, or worse." Remus said laughing lightly. Tonks opened her eyes to look at him.

"Yes, but you don't have to do things just because others tell you that's what you have to do." She said very quietly as if it had a much more important meaning than just a kiss on the threshold.

"But anyway, I should leave." Remus replied and he pecked her on the lips.

"Stay." She whispered just against his lips and the way she murmured it was too much for him. He couldn't leave. "Stay" she repeated again. Damn. He gave up and kissed her. She tried to ease him of his jacket and Remus knew where this was heading.

"Dora, I… this isn't a good idea." Remus shook his head, eyes closed, trying to remember why this wasn't a good idea, why he couldn't just let her continue. But he didn't want her to see his body, his chest and his scars. He didn't want to see the disgust on her face like he had seen it on faces before. He didn't want to leave her, not now.

"What's the problem? Don't tell me it's Sirius." She asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"It's just… Do you remember when I didn't want you to see my forearms?" Her eyes soften, and he could see the understanding flickering in them. "I've seen women be disgusted by me and I don't want you to… feel the same."

"Remus… I … I'm sorry. I didn't want to push you." She said quietly.

"It's not _your_ fault, why would you apologize!" Remus was looking at her bemused. Why would she be the one apologizing? He was the one acting like a prude.

"I should have known." She mumbled looking down at her feet. Remus pulled her into a tight hug and swore he'd never let go of her. "Stay for the night." She offered. "Just you and me, we'll enjoy the weekend together, alright?"

Remus obliged and followed her into her bedroom. She lent him a toothbrush and gave him back the t shirt she had taken from him the past week and Remus slept in his underwear and t-shirt. Tonks decided to wear a Weird Sisters's t shirt and her knickers. They climbed into bed a bit awkwardly: it was the first time they were sleeping together – and had been fully awake at the moment to make the decision to sleep together. Tonks rested her head on his chest, sliding her hand under his t shirt and Remus did not mind. They'd go slowly and Remus would let her in, he would let her go past the walls he had built all his life.

He kissed her, trying to prove her how much this all meant to him because he was sure words would never be enough.

Remus enjoyed being in bed with her having access to new places on her body that were usually hidden by her bra or trousers. She seemed to particularly enjoy sliding her hands under his t-shirt with a smug smile on her face.

The next morning, Remus woke up quite late. He could see the sunlight making its way by the window in the small places that the curtain did not cover. Nymphadora was sleeping just next to him, her hair resting in a very messy way on the pillow. Remus was already beaming. He did have slept very well and would enjoy every moment of this morning. He eased himself on his elbow to look at her properly and see the details of her face.

After half an hour, she woke up.

"What're you lookin' at?" She mumbled against the pillow.

"You." Remus replied. She moaned and hid her face in her pillow. "Dora." He whispered in her ear as he fondled her skin under her t-shirt. He kissed her temple and tried to kiss her cheek hidden by her hair. She gave in and turned her face to look at him so that he could kiss every inch of her face and trailed kisses down her neck.

Remus had never enjoyed a Sunday morning in such a brilliant way. They got up and prepared breakfast together – Remus realized she seemed clumsier in the morning – and they just sat in the couch. Remus rested his arm top of the couch.

"What do you want to do, today?" She asked resting her head on his arm.

"I don't know." He said looking into her eyes and for a second, he allowed himself to think he could see love and tenderness in them. Mr Pouterson climbed on the sofa next to them and Remus took him to place him on his lap. The lazy cat seemed quite annoyed by Tonks's legs and she couldn't help but notice.

"Mr Pouterson, we have to be friend on that one." She said as she patted his head. "If Remus likes you very much and if he likes me very much he'll come here twice as often. So, it's best for the both of us that we become allies." Remus looked at her as she spoke to her cat and couldn't help but smile at this little silly conversation but found it just as adorable. He kissed her on the forehead and spoke the first words he had in mind:

"You make me incredibly happy." She looked at him a bit bemused by what she had just heard but she captured his lips in a kiss.

Later in the day, someone knocked on the door. Not someone. Remus had thought it would be one of her parents maybe, or a friend Henry or Danny. But he had not expected Sirius.

"Hi, I just thought I could talk to you." Sirius said quietly. It was surprising coming from Sirius.

"Of course, come in. How're you feeling?" She answered as she gestured him inside. Remus got up and looked at his friend coming in.

"Oh, you're here. Hi."

"Hello, Sirius." Remus reached out his hand and Sirius shook it. Well, at least he did not scream at his face.

"I didn't know you weren't alone." Sirius said a bit awkwardly.

"It's fine. You two need to talk anyway. Sit in the chair." Tonks gestured to the chair just on the side of the table. Remus sat back on the sofa but kept looking at his friend. Sirius looked at Remus's feet, or socks to be more accurate.

"You're not wearing shoes." Sirius stated. Damn. Would he understand that Remus had spent the night here?

"Well, aren't we all more comfortable without our shoes? You can't take yours off if you want!" She said with a contented smile. She took Mr Pouterson on her lap and sat on a purple ottoman. "So, do any of you have something to say?"

Remus cleared his throat. He didn't know what he should say. Should he apologize? But for what? For falling in love with his friend's cousin?

"I apologize for not telling you sooner." Remus said in a quiet voice.

"And I apologize for the reaction I had." Sirius said on the same tone. "I shouldn't have reacted that way. That is not worth of a good friend." He said like a child giving an apology.

"Great! Now, I need the two of you to know something. I do not belong to anyone. Remus doesn't own me, and Sirius, you never did. So there is no reason for you to fight." Remus looked at her and realized how this silly fight made me look like an object, a prize.

"I am sorry." Both men said at the same time – they looked at each other amused and smiled.

"I am just going to need some time to get used to see the two of you together." Sirius added.

"And I understand." Remus replied. "We'll try not to… to…" How was he supposed to end this sentence? Damn. _I'll try to show you how much I love your cousin in front of you? I'll to show you how much I desire her?_

"To be too demonstrative." Tonks said nodding her head.

Sirius looked at them as they both glanced at each other smiling. Their eyes would never lie.

"I should go and leave the two of you alone." Sirius said and he got up, still a bit awkwardly. Remus wondered what Tonks had told him when they met because he had never seen Sirius so quiet.

"You can stay if you want. We weren't doing much!" Tonks said smiling warmly.

"No, it's fine. Mary's waiting at home. She kind of told me to come here to talk to you." Sirius got up and Tonks followed. Remus only stood to shake his friend's hand but did not walk with him. He had the firm impression that the two cousins needed to talk.

"Well, tell her hi from me."

"From me, too."

"I will."

"And we should plan something, so that the four of us could meet, soon." Tonks added still smiling.

"Yes, I'll talk to her about that. " Sirius said as he opened the door. "Goodbye, Remus. See you soon."

"Goodbye Sirius, have a good afternoon."

Tonks winked at Remus before closing the door behind them and Remus looked at Mr Pouterson.

"Well, that went alright." Remus said. He realized he could not hear a sound, not even Tonks bidding goodbye to her friend. There was a silencing charm on the door. _Great_. Would Sirius tell her that he was only being polite but he thought that she shouldn't spend time with Remus? No. Sirius would have tell him at Remus's face. But what were they talking about, then?

Tonks came back in the flat smiling and she sat on Remus's lap.

"I'm glad the two of you will make it."

"I think he was just being impulsive, last time." Remus said as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Mr Pouterson climbed again on the sofa and Tonks looked at the cat smiling.

"We'll see him even more often if he remains friend with the man you've just seen." The lazy cat just rubbed against her leg. "Don't we make a cool family the three of us?" She asked but she avoided looking at Remus. Maybe she felt like walking on eggs, not too sure of what she was saying so Remus kissed her on the cheek and replied:

"I think we do make a cool family." She turned to look at him and her smile widened.

They remained in comfortable silence and Remus could have fallen asleep on her couch.

"Remus?" She asked in a low voice.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything." He answered with a smile.

"I know it's the full moon this week," she started and Remus's teeth clenched. He did not like her to think about him as a dangerous wolf. "Do you feel tired long before? Or long after? Do I have the right to come and see you the following day?"

"Well…" How could he answer that? Of course he would love her to come after the full moon because he'd love to see her face at that moment but did he really want her to see him that way? "It depends… sometimes I can feel tired a few days before, and sometimes it's just the day of the full moon. And it's the same for the following days, sometimes it doesn't last so long."

"Oh." She said, looking at his hands, tracing lines on top of them.

"And if you want to come, you can. But don't feel bad for me, I've done it for a very long time."

"But now that I'm here I want to show you that I'm here for the good things and the… not so good things."

Remus chuckled. He liked how she tried not to hurt him and he couldn't blame her. He pulled her closer and she hid her face in his neck.

"You can come, when you come back from work. It'd be lovely to see you." Remus said and she held him tighter. He wondered if he had ever met a woman so ready to be there for him, ready to see him after the full moons when usually, the girlfriends he had had in the past would avoid coming too soon after the transformations because they'd see him tired and even less good looking. But Nymphadora Tonks wasn't like that. She was unique. Remus kissed the top of her head and held her tightly, as if he was afraid to let her go. As a matter of fact, he _was_ afraid to let her go.

* * *

_Hey! I hope you like it :) Well, there's not a big fight between Sirius and Remus because I don't think Remus would go for a confrontation. So yeah, if you wanted one, sorry. I couldn't write one. It didn't feel right in the story._

_Anyway, I don't know what to add about the chapters if you have__** anything to ask, say, just review**__**and tell me what you like / dislike**__ :) Your reviews are always much appreciated and very helpful! _

_I tried to update sooner, hope you noticed! I'm trying my best but I doubt I can update sooner. I already told you I have two fic so it takes a lot of time. _

_xx _


	11. Danny's Tale

The moon would rise in several hours but Remus could already feel the effects. He felt tired and every noise was heightened and he had the impression his head would soon explode. He decided to take a nap on the sofa after he had taken his last cup of Wolfsbane potion. Every month he had to buy that way-too-expensive potion but would not regret it. He felt much better with the potion, he could just wait for the night to pass.

His head on the arm of the sofa, he closed his eyes and was half asleep, half awake. Sometime later, a patronus was in front of him, he had not heard anything, but he recognized the white chameleon. It was Nymphadora's patronus. She had walked into the house – Remus had explained her several days earlier, how to pass the door.

"Wotcher, Remus." She said and her silver chameleon walked around her and disappeared. Remus was about to sit up but she quickly told him not to. He didn't want her to think he was infirm or not able to have a proper position but only a minute later he understood that she intended to join him on the sofa. She laid in front of him, and kissed him quickly and tenderly.

"You didn't have to come… You don't have to-"

"I know. I know, but I had some time and I thought about taking a little nap and I thought that maybe you would, too, so instead of taking both our naps miles away, why not spend this little time together?"

"I can't argue with that." Remus said and he couldn't help but smile. She was smart. She wasn't making him think that she came here out of pity.

"Nope." She replied casually.

"You had it all planned, uh?"

"Yep." Remus laughed and nuzzled her hair and left a kiss. He felt lucky to have her because he had never felt like this before. He had never felt so at ease with someone – except maybe with Sirius and James when they were kids in the Shrieking Shack.

"Come here." He said as he pulled her closer. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek on her way.

"Can I come again tomorrow after my day at the ministry?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"You don't have to come because it's the full moon, sweetheart. It's already very nice of you to be here now, but I don't want you to feel forced to be here." Remus said as he stroked her back in a regular movement that she seemed to really enjoy.

"I want to come. I want to be with you not because of the full moon but because we see each other almost every day and I don't want it to change because of it."

"Yes, you can come." Remus replied in her ear and she moved to give him one of the most tender kisses they ever had.

They stayed together on the sofa for a moment, but then it was time for Nymphadora to leave and she promised again to come back the next day. The transformation did not feel any better, nor did it hurt less but when he woke up in the morning, knowing that he'd see her at the end of the day he felt better. He couldn't wait to see her warm smile and hold her close to him.

She did come back the following day and told him that she had met a colleague earlier and his wife had given him a chocolate cake. Remus didn't know if it was true or if she had made the cake herself – but he doubted he wanted to know. She spend the end of her afternoon with him and they ordered some muggle food hat Remus hadn't eaten in years and it made him think of his youth.

Remus couldn't help but notice that she was still looking at him with concern. He got up to clean the dishes and led Tonks to the sofa.

"I can leave now, if you wish. I mean, if you're tired… I'd totally understand." She said as they walked.

"Nymphadora, I'm fine."

"I know you are. I know you've been fine your whole life without me and I know that you are doing well but it doesn't make me worry less. I doesn't make me sleep better during the full moon." She admitted.

Remus took her hand in his and looked at her in the eyes.

"Thank you for your concern. If anything, I'd rather have you worry than pity me or be disgusted by me."

"But I don't want to make a thing out of it. It shouldn't be a thing." She insisted. Remus couldn't help but smile. Usually, women had two or three phases about his lycanthropy: first, they looked at him as if he was a lost puppy, then, they'd get tired and be totally indifferent and even sometimes they'd skip this phase and be disgusted. None had ever said that they didn't want his lycanthropy to be a thing. "but it doesn't mean I don't worry or that I'm oblivious to it. I care about you but I don't want your lycanthropy to become a problem between us. I mean – of course it – well – I'm not ignoring the fact. What I mean was –" Remus decided to rescue her and raised his hand to speak, keeping a kind smile on his face.

"I understand what you mean, and if is fine for me."

"I'll get used to it if you just give me the chance." She said and quickly added: "and I'd totally if you refused now, after everything I said." Remus didn't care about the last part. Had she just said what he thought she had? Did she mean to say that she planned to be with him the following full moon and the one after that? Did she plan to be with him? Had she include him in her life? So many questions that he wouldn't ask right now so he kissed her before sitting on the sofa with her.

They watched muggle television until they were both too tired to keep their eyes open. Remus wanted her to sleep there, to have her next to him when he'd woke up but they had agreed on sleeping at each other's on the weekend and he didn't know if she'd want to sleep at his house in the middle of the week. But then she told him she had to wake up early in the morning for a pre-mission briefing and she didn't want to wake him up in the morning too early.

Remus and Tonks met again that week and every time, Remus realized he loved her even more. He realized he _was_ in love with her. He really was. He had noticed, already, a long time ago, that it was not just a crush and it would never be but he was a hundred per cent sure and he didn't know if he could tell her or if he should wait. Sometimes, he liked to think that there was love in her eyes when she looked at him, that her gestures couldn't be lying and if she had told him that she wanted to "get used" to deal with the full moon, it could only mean she would feel the same if she did not already.

Remus felt like he was fifteen years old, all over again. He was scared like a young boy, scared of rejection more than he had even been – though he had been used to rejection, he felt that if _she _rejected him, he didn't know how he would deal with it. He'd wait. He'd wait for the right moment.

On Friday night, Remus knocked on the door, impatient and nervous. Impatient because he longed to see her and nervous because he was a wearing a white shirt with his sleeves folded to his elbows and a pair of dark blue denim trousers that he thought would make him look more relaxed. Usually, he'd wear a jacket or a jumper but with just his shirt he almost felt naked.

She opened the door and even if he felt the widest admiration for her at first when he saw her in her green dress falling mid-thigh and following every curve he had often caressed – he soon felt completely out of place next to this living nymph.

And he had not spoken a word for too long.

"Uh.. Hello." He managed.

"I see my dress has the expected effect." She beamed.

"I am sorry for being so rude but you do look amazing." Remus smiled and couldn't get his eyes off of her. She was wearing her hair blonde that ended in pink tips. She had put some make up that made her brown eyes look wider and shinier than ever.

"Thanks." She answered. "You look very handsome, too." She said looking at him from head to toes.

"Do I? Because I feel like a complete idiot next to you."

"You look great, as always. Come in, now." She replied as she pulled him inside.

"Oh hello, Mr Pouterson." Remus said as the cat walked to him. He kneeled to pat the grey fur of the cat's back.

"Wait 'til you hear the news!" Tonks exclaimed as she poured them two drinks on the small table in front of the sofa. Remus looked up at her, waiting to hear the rest. "I had already told you that Mr Pouterson was not mine but belonged to a friend – well actually she's more of a cousin but I always considered her a friend – anyway, she was supposed to come back a while ago so I wrote to get some news and at the time – it was three weeks ago, I think – she told me she didn't know when she would actually come back. And this morning, as I took my breakfast – it was still early, still those useless meeting just because the administration wants to change some stuff – but where was I? Oh yes, this morning, I got a letter from her and she told me she wouldn't come back! She met her long-time friend, and actually, first love and she's staying with him. And she asked if –" In a quick gesture, Tonks split some of her drink on her dress. "I put some orange juice on my dress, shit, it's the second time today." Remus wanted to know what her friend had asked so with a quick wave of his wand he cleaned her dress.

"She asked?"

"Impatient, are we?" Tonks asked amused. Remus was impatient, indeed. He wondered if Mr Pouterson would actually leave. He had grown to like that lazy cat and he liked to come at Tonks's flat and listen to her complain about her pet without never meaning it. "So she asked if I could keep him, like keep him forever, because her boyfriend or fiancé – I didn't really understand that part – is allergic to cat's hair. So I'm gonna keep him."

Remus was quite happy about that. He got up and sat on the sofa next to her.

"That's nice, isn't it? I mean, you really like him, after all."

"I do. Sometimes I really don't, but most of the time, I do."

She eased her feet on his lap and Remus smiled – or more accurately – beamed at her.

"Why do you have that smug smile on your face?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"No reason."

"There's always a reason behind that kind of smile." She insisted.

"You're too curious for your own good." Remus answered quietly as he unconsciously rubbed her feet. Mr Pouterson was looking at them from the pillow he was sitting on.

"So what is it?"

"Later." Remus smiled.

"Why later? Then we'll be with Danny and Henry!" She exclaimed.

"When we'll come back." Remus said on a quiet tone. He leaned closer to her and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "There's a few things I'd like to do before we leave."

"A few things?" She gasped inches from his lips.

Remus only nodded before he kissed her very tenderly at first but he couldn't get his lips away from hers. He lingered and got her closer to him so that he had a much better access to the curves he loved so much. He had grown to be confident when he was with her. He had learned what she likes, what she loves and he loved discovering brand new things about her: it made him more confident in his moves. He was delighted that she'd let him in, that she'd let him get close to her. He often thought that he'd never find anyone, that no one in their right mind would be with a werewolf, but she would. She liked him for who he was and _what_ he was. It scared him. It actually scared him to death because he always thought she was about to reject him anytime soon, but no. Not now, at least.

Of course he would have fallen in love with her. When he thought about it, now it was so obvious. The first time they met, at the party organized by James and Lily… He remembered seeing her pink hair for the first time and being surprised by this bright colour that actually suited her. He remembered her loud laugh and her funny personalities. He remembered how easy it was to talk with her and how she seemed to have an aura around her that made everyone smile and talk so easily. He remembered when they drank and talked and laughed and danced. He remembered the first things that made him smile. Her clumsiness: He knew she hated it but he had always found it endearing. He liked being there to catch her and he couldn't help but smile when she'd make something fall and she'd look at him daring him to try and laugh. He never dared to. He remembered when she had talked about being an Auror and how passionate she seemed to be about her job. Remus had always been quiet, and everyone knew him to be quiet – he was only more opened when he was with his closest friends but with her it had been easy. She had made him laugh so easily and unconsciously he had already known he was doomed.

After a long and enjoyable snog on the couch Remus and Tonks left her flat to join Henry and Danny in a muggle bar. Tonks had decided to wear a pair of boots that, curiously, suited the dress.

In the streets, as they walked, Tonks had wrapped her arm around his, Remus felt proud to be with her. But at the same time, he couldn't help but being scared that everyone would want to think that a woman like her had nothing to do with him. And sometimes, he felt as if she could feel it because from times to times she'd squeeze his hand and give him a warm smile. They talked of music on their way. Of course if they talked about music, she talked about the Weird Sisters. She was still trying to convert him into a fan. He talked to her about muggle old bands and singers and she said she'd listen to them and that they had to spend a moment making each other discover their music tastes.

They eventually go to the bar and Tonks decided to walk in to find a booth. They sat next to each other and waited only ten minutes before Danny and Henry came in. Henry was wearing brown trousers and a dark red shirt. He still had this boyish grin that Remus had first noticed when they met the first time. Danny was wearing a simple blue t shirt with puffy flower patterned black skirt. They were holding hands as they walked and smiled like two kids. They reminded Remus of kids, there was something about them, something that made him think that it was easy, that everything was simple for them.

"Hey lovebirds! How're you doing?" Danny greeted them.

"Fine, how're you? You look great!" Tonks said getting up to hug her friend. Remus got up to greet them, shaking Henry's hand and nodding at Danny. After a little small talk the conversation turned around Henry and Danny. Henry decided to go get them drinks and walked to the bar.

"How was work?"

"Fine. We don't have any night opening for a week so it's quiet." Danny answered. "Quiet is fine." She added.

"You're doing a brilliant work at the gallery." Tonks told her friend.

"I don't know what I'd do without Henry, though. He's helping me so much. And since he's the only I've got left, I really don't know how I'd manage without him." Danny said looking at Henry who trying to get the bartender's attention.

"I'm really hurt, right now." Tonks said on a joking tone but was looking very tenderly at her friend.

"Of course I know you're always there for me." Danny reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze. Remus remained slightly confused: he didn't remember Tonks saying anything about her family and he didn't want to be rude and ask anything about a sensible subject.

"Where did you and Henry meet?"

"It was in a museum. I've always liked paintings and I used to spend quite a lot of time in a museum in my parents's city. I was young and I had just discovered something new that I liked, you know, so I was really enthusiastic about this. And I met Henry, there. We realized we were kind of following each other through the museum and he came to me, and asked me what I thought about a piece of art. We finished the tour together, exchanging our thoughts and at the end of asked me if I wanted to have a coffee with him. I said yes, obviously. I knew he was a muggle, of course. I was eighteen. I had left Hogwarts just a few months earlier. And he had a coffee, and another and another."

Remus realized that Tonks was smiling and listening carefully to each word as if it was a tale she liked to hear before going to sleep.

"I fell in love so quickly. I mean, he's easy to love. He's funny and sweet and kind, and he's really funny, I know I've already said it but he really is. He's smart, he's really brilliant and we work really well together, that's something we discovered pretty soon, actually. But the problem – if you can call that a problem – was that he is a muggle, or that I'm a witch. It depends on which side you're on. I remember telling him I was a witch. You should have seen his face "don't be ridiculous, Danny" he told me and I was scared that I performed any spell in front of him the Ministry would know. So at first, I tried to show him a few things, among them a picture of my and Tonks where she's changing her hair colour. I saw him books I had kept from Hogwarts and then I performed a patronus in front of him. He thought it was a trick and took a look at my wand and everything. I made another spell or two, and he started to believe it. I explained him everything and he believed me. I asked him if he still wanted to be with me and he looked at me bemused and I remember his words "Danny Gentillet, I don't know why I'm not running out because this is crazy, but I can't leave you" and he didn't leave me. I was so happy that I wanted to tell my parents about him and I expected them to be happy for me." Danny paused and looked down at her hands as she scratched the table. "When I told them they asked me if I was joking. I told them I wasn't, of course, I didn't really understand their reaction at first. Then they asked me how would I live with him? How would I ever have a normal life with him? I told them I didn't think of having a job in the wizarding world, anyway and they got mad, said that I was acting like a kid. They had planned for me to work for the ministry or work in Gringotts. They thought I had the capacities to work there, but I never wanted to work there. I had just found something that I was passionate about. I told them that I had found a university where I could study Arts and I had actually sent a letter to Dumbledore about that and asked him how I could explain the gap in my studies for the muggle world and he was ready to help me. They got mad. I left." Danny took a long breath and continued. Henry was walking back to the table; she waited for him to come back and continued. She needn't tell him what she was talking about. "I came back a few days letter, apologized for having left like a thief and they asked me if I had thought about what they had told me. I had received Dumbledore's answer. He had the solution for me – a whole paper proving I was in private school in another country or something like that – so that I could apply to the university. If I was accepted I could even start in September! so it was really good and I really was excited about all of this. They asked me about… uhm... Henry."

She seemed a bit embarrassed to talk about this in front of him – though Remus doubted it was the first time she did. Henry took her hand and squeezed it lightly but never let go of it until the end of the story.

"I was confused, I told them that if I was studying Art there was no reason for me to think of leaving him and even if I thought about working in the wizarding world I wouldn't leave him for that. I told them that I had planned to live in a neighbourhood and if I studied in a muggle University I would certainly work in a muggle environment. They told me it was a shame that I'd do that. They told me that I was stupid. I told them that it was my choice, not theirs. It could have stopped on a simple disagreement but no. They asked me to choose. It was Henry or them. I left the house and I never came back. It was the day we started to live together. Do you realize that after several months of relationship, I came to his flat one morning and asked if I could sleep there a couple of nights and I never really left?" She asked smiling.

Remus smiled at them. He knew that some parents had this kind of reaction but he never understood how someone could reject their own children.

"I wrote letters, told them that I was living with him, I had been accepted. They answered me that they didn't want me in their family if I was rejecting everything they had built. I wrote to them when I graduated of my degree and then when I got the job at the gallery which was really crazy because I actually run a gallery and I'm only 23 so I thought they'd be happy because I'm doing what I love. But they stopped answering years ago. I don't know why I keep writing, maybe I should stop, I don't know. But they don't want me anymore in their family because I'm dishonouring the family."

"I even told her that I'd be ready to live in a wizarding neighbourhood if she wanted to, but Danny is quite stubborn." Henry said tenderly before he kissed her hair.

"I'm fine where we are. And it's fine for me. I just learned a lot about wandless magic so that it's easier for me. It's easy for me to adapt in a muggle. And I don't mind. I've grown fond of this world."

"I think the most important thing is that you are both happy." Remus said smiling.

"Yes. You're right." Danny replied, siting straighter on her sit.

Nymphadora rested her head on Remus's shoulder only several seconds and gave him a warm smile.

"So now, you know everything, Remus." Henry said and he raised his glass. "To our friendship."

Remus felt touched by these three small words. Henry and Danny had accepted him. Tonks's friends had accepted him, and he only felt closer to the woman he loved. He felt like he was part of her world.

Danny and Tonks raised their glasses and waited for Remus to do so. Their four glasses met and Remus couldn't get his eyes off Tonks, she was looking at him with such tenderness, as if she understood what it meant for him.

They kept talking for a while and then the music got louder and they decided to dance. Remus had drunk several drinks which made him more at ease with dancing.

Remus and Nymphadora couldn't be any closer, his hands on her hips, their nose touching from times to times: Remus only wanted to kiss her but he managed not to and knew he'd only have to wait several hours before he'd be alone with her.

"I told you they would love you." She said in his ear as they danced.

"You know, it's surprising because when I saw them coming, they gave me the impression of two kids in love. Everything seems simple for them, like there's nothing they can't fight. But after tonight, I realize that they didn't have the simplest relationship ever." Remus commented.

"You're right. They do give the impression of two kids being in love." Tonks said as she looked at them dancing. Danny was laughing while Henry was trying to make her turn on her feet – not caring at all if it wasn't the rhythm of the music at all. "But I think that the fact that it wasn't easy made them stronger – I doubt there's anything they can't fight, actually."

"I'm sure you're right." Remus replied and he kissed Nymphadora's forehead.

"Do you mind if I steal your lady?" Henry asked holding his hand out for Tonks.

"Not if I can steal yours." Remus answered.

"We're not your property, guys so maybe you should ask us." Danny asked faking to be annoyed but she had a joking smile on her face.

"My lady, would you like to dance with me?" Henry asked bowing at Tonks.

"I'd be delighted, Mr Fidel!" She answered and she stepped away from Remus to dance with Tonks.

"Lady Gentillet, would you do me the honour to dance with me?"

"I would love to, Mr Lupin." She answered laughing. They danced quietly for a moment and then Remus decided to break the silence.

"I'm trying my best with her." Remus said. "With Nymphadora."

"I know." Danny simply replied. "I know, that's why I like you. I can feel that you really care about her. You don't seem to care about her gift, which I appreciate. She's met some guys who thought she was made to realize some weird fantasy."

"I'd never-"

"I know. At least, for now, I know. Don't you dare mess up with her, Remus because I can be your friend or I can be hell on earth, it's up to you."

"How about we remain friends?" Remus said tentatively with a smile.

"Wise man. I think she really cares about you, and I can see that you do too. Henry said he had a good feeling about you and tonight just confirmed it for me. I think you could be good for her."

"Not as good as she is for me." Remus observed.

"That's what I always say about Henry." Danny laughed.

"We're screwed, then?" Remus joked as they kept dancing.

"I think we are." She answered before Tonks pulled her away to dance. Remus and Henry first decided to get a drink and when the two women were still talking as they danced they decided to go dance too. Danny and Tonks couldn't stop laughing when they saw the two of them dancing – some people gave them funny looks but none of them cared.

They all went back to a booth and kept talking a long time, sometimes decided to go dance again. All in all, it was a very good evening.

* * *

_Hey! Sorry I was so long. I had a bit of a blank page moment - I needed some time to reconcentrate on myself a bit. And when I wrote I was really long because I wanted to make Danny and Henry's story good. So I hope you like it. But I didn't do useless things because I studied some vocabulary among other things for next year_

_I think I'll update more regularly when I'll get back to uni because it will be less complicated and I'll have more time. _

_But if you thought I'd abandon this story, don't worry I'm going to finish it (and we're not close to the end) I planned a lot of events for the story! So it should be interesting. _

_I finished writing at 1:30am so there must be some mistakes. I'll try and correct tomorrow! _

_I hope you also all enjoyed Remus's biography. Because I did, I love knowing more about him because he's my favourite male character in the books so I was really happy to know more and I want to hug him forever. I ship him even more with Tonks because she's the one who made him happy!_


	12. A New Step

Remus and Tonks were finally at her flat. The effects of the alcohol were slowly calming down. She opened the door and led him in looking at him quite mischievously. She pulled him close to her and whispered in his ear:

"The night is not over, yet."

"You're right." Remus replied the same way. He had stop thinking about what Sirius would think, about what anyone would think. He kissed her with all the desire he had for her and she responded just as passionately. Tonks wrapped her legs around his waist and he led her to her bedroom. He never left her lips while he put her on the bed and she tried to take his shirt off.

Remus did not care about his scars because he felt wanted and desired. He helped her get rid of his shirt and chose not to take her clothes off yet. He wanted to tease her so he just slid his hand under her dress. Their kisses were not as passionate as they were, but grew more loving and slow. Remus wanted to enjoy every inch of her skin with kisses and caresses and he had the impression that she wanted to do the same with him.

* * *

In the morning, their clothes were useless on the floor, and Nymphadora was lying next to Remus, sleeping quietly, her messy pink hair spread on the pillow. It took them a while after the sunrise to wake up. He was the first to open his eyes, and looked at the messy room he was in. He quite liked this messy room, it was so colourful, kind of like the owner. He moved closer to her to hold her more tightly. He followed the curves of her body. Her neck, her spine and the covers hid the rest but his arm was still around her waist. He nuzzled into her hair and left several kisses in the back of her neck.

"Good Morning, Dora." Remus murmured in her ear when he noticed that she was slowly waking up.

"Hmm.. Wotcher." She mumbled. She turned her face to look at him and shot him her best smile – though a bit sleepy but it only made it more adorable, Remus thought.

They stayed in bed a while and even levitated and summoned their breakfast in the bedroom: it had a taste of happiness that Remus had rarely had the right to. His pure bliss and happiness was, no doubt, the only reason why he couldn't stop kissing her face. It made her giggle when he planted a kiss on her cheek for no reason, but she seemed to rather enjoy it.

Later in the morning, they eventually decided to leave their very comfortable bed and to really get dressed. Remus had prepared a bag of clothes for the weekend at her flat and changed his clothes while Tonks asked him what she looked best in – though, Remus felt like this question could be really tricky. She eventually decided to wear a large Weird Sisters t-shirt and a pair of tight blue denim trousers and the detail that Remus loved the most: white dotted pink socks.

"Have you plan anything for today?" Nymphadora asked him, as she opened her mail, in such an innocent way that Remus _knew_ she had planed something for them.

"Nothing at all. I had planned to improvise, actually." Remus answered waiting patiently for her to continue but nothing came out. He looked up at her and saw her reading her mail consciously.

"Is there anything wrong, Dora?" Remus asked concerned by the abrupt silence.

"Oh, uh... no. Quite the contrary, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a letter from Mary. She asks us to come over, tomorrow afternoon for tea." Remus was, indeed, very surprised by this offer. Sirius was actually inviting them, _as a couple._

"Well, that's interesting. Does she mention Sirius?" Remus asked.

"No. Well, yes but not really. She just wrote 'Sirius and I would be happy to have you and Remus coming over for tea.' then she just asks me to ask you because Howard – the hungry owl – is quite old and it would be too much for him. But then it's just small talk."

"Are you ready to go – I mean, as a couple?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you this?" She replied raising one eyebrow.

"Hum. As a matter of fact, I am."

"Really?"

"Are you doubting me?" Remus asked.

Remus Lupin was not naturally confident, however, for Nymphadora Tonks he was more than ready and willing to make efforts, so if there was one thing he didn't want her to doubt: it was his love.

"No." She just answered and gave him a kind smile. "It seems like we have a whole weekend planned."

Remus raised an eyebrow: she had forgotten to tel him what they were supposed to do.

"Two tickets for the muggle museum! It has lots of paintings, work of writers and lot of their culture."

Tonks walked to sit on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I thought you'd like it."

"Love it." Remus corrected and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad you like it. I really wanted to do something with you."

Remus kissed her on the forehead. He was still surprised that she would want to be seen with him.

* * *

"What do they say about this one?" Remus asked, his cheek resting against her hair. They were standing in front of a painting representing a woman looking at a lake. They had already been in the museum for more than an hour and they had both quite enjoyed it so far

"They say he decided to paint it after he met the woman who will apparently remain his muse forever. That is the first one. They say you can see her only as a figure, here, but in the following paintings she gets clearer. The colours he used blablah not interesting to me."

"I doubt Danny would appreciate this behaviour." Remus said quietly in her ear.

"She knows. And you're right. She doesn't appreciate." this behaviour, but I only care about the story."

"Interesting." Remus replied and moved to take a better look at the painting but keeping a hand on her hip. They kept on their visit, each room leading to a new part of the muggle culture. Tonks had kept the brochure in her hands telling him the story of every piece of art in the rooms. Remus felt like they were a team. A good team.

Later in the visit, they were looking at some sketches of a famous architect of the country when a little boy who had just entered the room asked his mother:

"Mom, why does the man have scars on his face?"

"Tommy, don't stare. This is not a respectful behaviour."

Both Remus and Tonks heard but she pretended not to and kept on talking about the sketches. "Damn, I could never draw such a thing! Look at the precision, the details! What do you think, Rem? Isn't it unbelievable?" She asked moving closer to him, as if trying to get his whole attention.

And because he loved her more than anything, he, too, pretended not to have heard.

"You know that Kate's son had been attacked by a dog. He looks pretty much like this man. It's crazy all these people attacked by dogs. I'll stay firm with Tommy. No dog." The woman paused. "It can't be easy to live with the memory literally written on your face. I don't think I would ever go out of the house. Could you?" She asked her husband but he never uttered a word. Tonks looked at the woman furiously but Remus pretended to be fully interested by what in front of him.

"This room's boring. Do you want to go to another one? The next one seems much better." She offered casually. It kind of scared Remus that she acted so casually about the situation.

"Why not." Remus answered. He did not want to make her feel miserable for him, because she did not deserve that. She did not deserve to be looked at because she was with a poor scarred man. They walked to the next room.

Remus thought about what had just happened. Tonks having to deal with people looking at them. The woman's comments. It was nothing compared to what a wizard would say if they knew Remus was a werewolf. His whole body tensed. He wanted to apologize to her. She did not deserve that.

"Shit! I forgot something! Must have fell! Wait here." She said quickly before leaving him alone in the entrance of the room.

His eyes followed her as she walked – her pink hair surprising some muggles on the way. However, she did not look for anything; she went straight to the woman who talked about Remus's scares. She was taller than Tonks, wearing her black hair in a tight bun. She was quite thin and she looked very classic compared to Nymphadora.

"What you said was anything but respectful!" Tonks said firmly and then she walked out of the room – Remus quickly looked around, pretending not to have seen the scene.

"Couldn't find it." She said and she gave him a brief kiss on the cheek. "Let's finish the visit. I want an ice-cream, or a brownie. I'm not sure yet!"

As much as Remus loved her, he wanted to leave her and break up with her while he still could. Of course, without her he would be broken beyond repair. She deserved so much better. And smart as she was, Nymphadora felt Remus strange behaviour. She guided him to the corridor where there was much less people.

"Remus, are we okay?" She asked. "I know, maybe, I shouldn't have. It wasn't my business but she was a bitch!" Remus chuckled and she smiled. "A smile!" She shouted a bit too loud because people started to look at her but she just shrugged at them.

"How about we get this ice-cream right now?" Remus offered.

"Perfect!" Tonks exclaimed and she led him quickly to the exit.

* * *

They soon found a little place where they ordered a piece of brownie and some ice-cream.

"About what happened," Tonks started taking a piece of the vanilla ice-cream in her spoon, "I know , maybe I shouldn't have done that." She seemed to be thinking about her words carefully and Remus decided to let her finish. "I couldn't let her talk about like this way and … and it only means I care. I care about you... so much. I can't let anyone talk shit about you. I exactly know why or how you did that but I really want to be with you, for once in my life, I want to be with someone, really. And that's the kind of things I'll do. I know that if someone talks shit about you in this place, I won't stand it. I can try and control myself a bit but..." She seemed to get lost in her speech so Remus thought he'd rescue her.

"Nymphadora, it's alright." She smiled at him relieved that he'd helped her. "We'll manage. I care about you so much and I think... I think I have to tell you something. When we were in the museum... I thought about... about breaking up with you." Remus couldn't look at her when he said the words but he heard her gasp even if she had tried to control it. "Not because... no, not because of you." Remus said as he placed his hand on hers. She didn't move, not at all. "I wanted to because I thought you didn't deserve that. No, I'm sure, you don't deserve that. You deserve so much better than me. But I'm not brave enough to leave you because I don't exactly know why or how you did that but I really want to be with you."

"Oh, Remus. Don't you ever leave for this reason. Leave me when you think I'm annoying, or because you just don't like being with me anymore but not because of this."

She wanted to reach for his cheek but as she leaned forward, she put some ice-cream on her t-shirt.

"Dora... your t shirt."

"Oh shit! I've just ruined the moment." She said laughing. Remus started laughing – more than the situation invited but they both looked at each other laughing even more.

"I think you Tonksed it, actually." Remus replied with a mischievous smile on his face. She raised an eyebrow and burst out laughing.

"How about we go back to my flat, now?"

She smiled widely at him and put on her jacket. Remus took his wallet to pay and Tonks offered to pay her share, again.

"Please, Nymphadora, it would be my pleasure to pay for once. It's not much, it's just an ice-cream and brownie."

She seemed to be thinking about what he said for a short moment and then she gave up.

* * *

They walked out in the street, hands entwined – Remus realized it was impossible for him to tell who was reaching for the other's hand – and it was like something had changed between them, for the best.

Remus felt as if they had gotten closer somehow, as if they had got a new step together, as a couple.

They found a narrow street to disapparate to her flat and they couldn't let go of the other. They decided to watch tv, snuggled close together. Tonks held Remus's hand in hers, as if showing him that she'd never let him go. Remus kissed her on the temple and kept kissing her on the cheek until she giggled.

"I can make Nymphadora Tonks giggle."

"Oh shut up, Remus. I have a reputation to hold."

"You mean I can't tell everyone I'm proud I make you giggle?"

"Oh shove off." She said trying to move away from him. "And stop calling me Nymphadora!"

"You can't expect me to call you Tonks anymore." Remus said raising an eyebrow.

"Dora is fine."

"And I _love_ calling you Dora, but I have a thing for your full name."

"Will you stop using this seducing tone with me? You're not going to buy me with – that." She said enable to keep a smile off of her face and pointing her finger at his face. Remus chuckled and replied:

"Are you sure? Because I do have the impression that you like it." Remus said getting closer to her and left a kiss on her cheek.

"Very wrong." She said closing her eyes when he started run his fingers through her hair.

"My lovely Dora." Remus whispered in her ear.

* * *

The next morning, Remus woke up and looked at the pink hair spread on the pillow next to him;

"Wotcher, Remus." She said in a sleepy voice, not even turning to look at him.

"Hello, Nymphadora." Remus whispered in her ear. He fondled her skin tenderly with his fingers and watched her roll on her side to look at him with the tenderest and most amused look he'd seen.

He kissed her on the forehead and brought her closer to him. "Did you sleep well?" He asked in her hair.

"Perfectly." She answered and he could just hear the smile in her voice. "You?"

"Just about the same."

Nymphadora moved to take a look at him and after looking at him with a cheeky smile she kissed Remus, making sure that this was the best morning he's ever spent ever.

"Sunday mornings spent in bed are the best." She said resting her head on his chest.

"Sunday mornings spent in bed with you are the best." Remus corrected her.

"Remus Lupin, my adorable romantic man." She teased him.

"Do you mind?" He asked raising an eyebrow. It was true that sometimes he felt being romantic but he couldn't help. He felt like she should know that he loved her because she was a wonderful woman.

"Nope." She answered before she planted a kiss on his chest.

They spent a lazy Sunday morning and then Remus prepared lunch with her, enjoying teaching her how to cut some vegetables standing right beside her - and apparently she enjoyed it just as much.

After they had eaten they were on the sofa, listening to the Wizard Radio. Tonks had her head buried in his neck caressing his chest with her hand under his shirt.

"Are you ready for taking the tea with Mary and Sirius?"

"Yes. I don't think Sirius will say anything; Mary wouldn't have invited us if she had thought so."

"You're right."

He caressed her unconsciously and she relaxed under his touch.

* * *

At 5pm, they were at their door, ready to knock but before Tonks's hand touched the door she gave Remus's hand a squeeze and kissed him on the cheek.

"It's gonna be just fine. They're your friends after all. I should be the one worrying."

"Sorry, Nymphadora."

She knocked on the door and held Remus's hand tightly, reassuringly and also reassuring him. Mary opened the door, beaming at them.

"Remus, Tonks! I'm so glad you're here. Come in, come in."

"Hello, Mary. How're you?" Remus asked politely as he entered the house.

"Fine." She leaned closer to the couple and whispered: "Don't worry about Sirius, he's fine about all of this."

Mary led them to the living room where Remus was waiting for them.

"How've you been?" He asked walking to them to shake Remus's hand and pull Tonks in a quick hug.

"Great. We've been to a muggle museum, yesterday. Crazy what all these muggles do without magic." Tonks replied trying to make things as comfortable as possible.

They made little talk for a while and Remus couldn't help but notice Mary's smile every time she looked at them. Tonks was sitting just next to him, her knee touching his, and sometimes she moved her hand to touch his discreetly.

"So, uh... how long have you been dating?" Sirius asked awkwardly. Remus and Nymphadora looked at each other both wondering who would answer the question and Remus placed his hand on her knee indicating her he would answer.

"Well, I think it must have been in July. And now we're almost in September. Time flies."

"Yeah, time flies. I remember almost falling into you in the backyard like it was just a few days ago." Nymphadora said looking lovingly at Remus. He realized that it had been almost two months, but he couldn't imagine a time when she wasn't in his life. He didn't want to imagine a time when she wasn't in his life. He took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze.

"It's funny we didn't see anything that night!" Mary exclaimed apparently delighted to see a new couple.

"Well, I had most of Remus's attention that night." Nymphadora said cheekily.

"Of course, I was scared for my life: there were knives on the table." Remus replied casually.

"Git." She pinched his leg playfully.

Sirius smiled. Remus couldn't believe his eyes: he had smiled.

They drank their tea and talked the whole afternoon, smiling, laughing, and Remus realized that it could be his life now. Spending his Sunday afternoons with her, and his friends. Sirius relaxed after some time and soon they were all laughing and talking.

* * *

**Hey! Sorry for the delay:** **My computer broke dow**n a few weeks ago and I lost everything (still haven't got my fics back) and at first it really depressed me so I didn't really want to write anymore and then, when I started writing again it was on paper (until I had my new computer) and then I had to retype everything. So it took me quite a long time!

Now I'm going back to school so I will have a regular schedule which means that I'll write more regularly and it will be updated if not every week every two weeks.

I hope you're not too mad at me. I really planned some real interesting future thing to happen so it should remain "interesting" (I use "" because maybe you won't like it but what I mean is that some stuff will happen so it doesn't get boring. Alright)

**If there's anything you'd like to tell me about the story or anything just review! It's always much appreciated! :) **


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